[Python-Dev] memory leaks in 2.2

[Tim Peters]

[Fred L. Drake, Jr.]
>   Aside from these specific memory-leak reports, we've generally
> fallen down on bug triage.

Look on the bright side:  we're doing a much better job on bugs than on
patch review, and our patch review work in turn is stellar compared to what
we've accomplished in the PSF <wink>.

> I'm not sure what we can do about this in the short term, but I really
> think we're not doing as good a job at this as we should be.

I think it's just one of many areas where we "should be" doing a better job.

> I wonder if we could take a lesson from the Mozilla community and
> organize Bug Days (group hack days where the goal is to resolve bugs)
> or have a "BugAThon" where we call for smaller/simpler test cases that
> exercise reported bugs.  I suspect a page about how to narrow down a
> bug to a smaller test case would be very helpful, especially if it
> also discusses how to use the various available tools for things like
> pinpointing leaks, etc.

Frankly, I don't think it will help.  If you look at the bug statistics,
we've made steady and dramatic improvement in bug turnaround time over the
last six months, and we can't sustain even that improvement.  Fact is we
have very few people fixing bugs or reviewing patches.  It's not like the
majority of Python developers work on this stuff in spurts, it's that most
don't work on it at all, and almost nobody works on it routinely.  We
couldn't even meet our modest internal (admittedly imposed by me <wink>)
"close one bug or patch per day per person" goal last week (you'll never see
that idea again either ...).

Maybe we should resume offering a free copy of the next Python release to
contributors working beyond the bounds of sanity?  Na -- even Thomas
eventually figured out he could get a free copy anyway -- let's just pray he
doesn't tell Martin <wink>.

better-at-eating-kung-pao-chicken-than-motivating-the-overburdened-
    to-spread-themselves-thinner-than-gas-ly y'rs  - tim