Brett,
Below is a draft for a set of patch guidelines.
Thanks for getting around to this!
Wait for a developer to contact you ===================================
At this point you need to wait for a Python developer to come along and look at your patch. This might be a while as all Python developers are volunteers and thus have a limited amount of time. Do not be surprised if it takes weeks or more before your patch is examined.
There is a standing offer that if you review five other patches (by commenting on its correctness, helping it meet these guidelines, etc.), then a developer will definitely have a look at any patch you specify. Just email python-dev with what five patches you reviewed (and what you did for the review) and the patch you want examined.
May I suggest the following wording for this section? This is basically the feedback I found most helpful a few weeks ago; it's more specific about how notification and the 5-for-1 rule work. ================= When you submit your patch, the tracker notifies a mailing list that most core Python developers subscribe to. But remember that Open Source runs on volunteerism and meritocracy. If you are a new Python contributor, then your patch may languish for weeks or more before anyone volunteers a response. Python addresses this barrier to entry with a "5-for-1 rule." Pick five other patches or bugs, try to apply or reproduce them, and then report your results back to the tracker. Then, send a note to python-dev listing the five you reviewed and the patch id of your own patch, and one of Python's "patch angels" will get the ball rolling on your patch. ================= chad