RE: [Python-Dev] Weekly Python Bug/Patch Summary
Skip writes:
Any thoughts about posting this to c.l.py as well as python-dev? Maybe it would encourage some more participation...
I don't want to exercise a veto here or anything, but I don't think it would be helpful. The barrier to more participation isn't that people don't know there's work to be done. I suspect that anyone who was going to consider helping with development would either be scratching their own itch (ie, contributing a patch and wouldn't care about this report), or would already be reading python-dev (after all, it's not hard to qualify to receive it!). I worry that posting this to c.l.py would be unlikely to generate anything other than occasional bellyaching about how slow we are about addressing bug reports. What might be more helpful would be a call for volunteers. We could form a "patch reviewers" group that would review patches on SF. Or something. Actually, figuring out how to recruit volunteers is a difficult problem. But I'm not sure the weekly bug/patch summary is the solution. -- Michael Chermside
On Mon, Aug 23, 2004 at 09:22:03AM -0700, Michael Chermside wrote:
I don't want to exercise a veto here or anything, but I don't think it would be helpful. The barrier to more participation isn't that people don't know there's work to be done. I suspect that anyone who was going
I disagree. I think there's a pool of volunteer labour in the Python community that we aren't tapping yet. For example, at the first bug day the person who looked at the most bugs was someone who'd never done anything with the Python core before (and, AFAICT, hasn't done anything since). In a discussion on that first day, he said "... maybe ppl think that the tracker is only for core developers etc. I never would have even looked there if it wasn't for today". (That was in a discussion about automatically closing bugs once they reach a certain age; see the transcript at http://www.amk.ca/python/bugday/2004-06-05.html for the context.) Posting the bug summary may result in people getting an idea of the rate at which bugs and patches are processed. Readers may also see a new bug that's relevant to them, and offer debugging assistance or commentary. I can't see how posting the summaries to c.l.py would *hurt*. I say "do it". --amk
"A.M. Kuchling" <amk@amk.ca> writes:
On Mon, Aug 23, 2004 at 09:22:03AM -0700, Michael Chermside wrote:
I don't want to exercise a veto here or anything, but I don't think it would be helpful. The barrier to more participation isn't that people don't know there's work to be done. I suspect that anyone who was going
I disagree. I think there's a pool of volunteer labour in the Python community that we aren't tapping yet. For example, at the first bug day the person who looked at the most bugs was someone who'd never done anything with the Python core before (and, AFAICT, hasn't done anything since). In a discussion on that first day, he said "... maybe ppl think that the tracker is only for core developers etc. I never would have even looked there if it wasn't for today". (That was in a discussion about automatically closing bugs once they reach a certain age; see the transcript at http://www.amk.ca/python/bugday/2004-06-05.html for the context.)
Posting the bug summary may result in people getting an idea of the rate at which bugs and patches are processed. Readers may also see a new bug that's relevant to them, and offer debugging assistance or commentary. I can't see how posting the summaries to c.l.py would *hurt*. I say "do it".
This mail expresses my opinions much better than the one I didn't get around to writing :-) Cheers, mwh -- Presumably pronging in the wrong place zogs it. -- Aldabra Stoddart, ucam.chat
Michael> I worry that posting this to c.l.py would be unlikely to Michael> generate anything other than occasional bellyaching about how Michael> slow we are about addressing bug reports. Well: 1. They get what they pay for. 2. My guess is that most of the bellyaching will come from people who don't currently contribute. If they want things done more quickly, they know where to start. Michael> Actually, figuring out how to recruit volunteers is a difficult Michael> problem. But I'm not sure the weekly bug/patch summary is the Michael> solution. Until something better comes along it might pick up one or two extra pairs of eyeballs. Skip
Michael Chermside wrote:
I don't want to exercise a veto here or anything, but I don't think it would be helpful. The barrier to more participation isn't that people don't know there's work to be done. I suspect that anyone who was going to consider helping with development would either be scratching their own itch (ie, contributing a patch and wouldn't care about this report), or would already be reading python-dev (after all, it's not hard to qualify to receive it!).
I completely disagree (and I have to, because I was supporting more wide distribution :-). The posting lists bug reports and patches that some people might consider interesting, and just try out in order to find out whether it scratches their own itches. If it does, they might comment on the patch. If a patch scratches nobody's itches, it is best rejected.
I worry that posting this to c.l.py would be unlikely to generate anything other than occasional bellyaching about how slow we are about addressing bug reports.
And that would be a good thing! People *need* to remember that this is free software, and that we are all volunteers. For some, this might cause them to go away, with so little support from the developers. Farewell to them! Others might consider taking over the project. Let them come! The rest will have an occasional bellyaching, which will remind them of how precisely free software works. They'll either get over it, or do something about it.
What might be more helpful would be a call for volunteers. We could form a "patch reviewers" group that would review patches on SF. Or something. Actually, figuring out how to recruit volunteers is a difficult problem. But I'm not sure the weekly bug/patch summary is the solution.
Perhaps no. However, I do think I have personally exhausted all other possibilities, with regular postings on all available channels. It might not help, but it won't harm, and it is easy to implement. Regards, Martin
"Martin v. Löwis" <martin@v.loewis.de> wrote in message news:412A5232.6060202@v.loewis.de...
I completely disagree (and I have to, because I was supporting more wide distribution :-).
I also support clp posting because the little bit of help I have been able to give (on bug reports) has mostly been prompted by the weekly reminder. I can imagine that there are people even more competant to contribute who only read or skim c.l.p. If the consequences are net negative, it will be easy to cease the additional posting. Terry J. Reedy
participants (6)
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"Martin v. Löwis" -
A.M. Kuchling -
Michael Chermside -
Michael Hudson -
Skip Montanaro -
Terry Reedy