[arch-general] Bugs again

[David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E.]

On or about Friday 15 May 2009 at approximately 05:15:15 Jon Kristian Nilsen 
composed:
> This discussion never seems to get old.
>
<snip>
>
> Thirdly:
> Why are users encouraged to report to the ML and the forums beforehand? I
> don't see any practical reason in having several bit's and pieces of
> information spread around. A bugtracker should be used for that, it's
> possible to post comments in it, isn't it?
> Having one clear system for users to post bugs will help gain population
> and give encouragement, if a user have to go through several different
> organs for something like this, the majority of users will most likely not
> do it. - Sad to say, but it IS the truth.
>
<snip>
>
> Sorry for spamming.
>
> -J
>

	From my experience, the flow has always been two-tiered:

(1) If you know enough to know it is a bug -> report it to tracker

(2) If you don't know enough to know its a bug (newer user/unsure about the 
area of the system) -> post it to the list to confirm the bug or for further 
information that will allow you to confirm it, or rule it out.

	With arch, things get a little unwieldy when we add the forum as "layer 3" 
without a clear delineation of what information goes to the list and what 
goes to the forum. There may be some guideline for that somewhere, but I 
haven't run across it yet. (One can only read so many hundred wiki, forum, 
bug, and list posts in a given amount of time)

	I have always understood IRC is simply for quick questions/answers so that 
doesn't cause a problem as another "layer 4."

	I still believe the best practice for bug reports is the (1) (2) laid out 
above. It helps both weed out bugs that aren't really bugs to begin with, and 
it also helps better frame the bug issues for the ones that are bugs but that 
the reporter doesn't know enough about to feel comfortable reporting to begin 
with.

	I don't know how the forum fits in here, but I do agree that the efficiency 
of the bug tracking/fixing process suffers if the devs have to try and pick 
information out of 3 different places potentially under 3 different 
titles/subjects.

	As for spamming, this stuff is never spamming. These are the discussions that 
need to be held to provide the decision makers additional information and 
viewpoints to consider in defining the policies to put in place. Even if all 
my/your suggestions are ultimately tossed, they still had value in providing 
an option or alternative to be considered.

-- 
David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E.
Rankin Law Firm, PLLC
510 Ochiltree Street
Nacogdoches, Texas 75961
Telephone: (936) 715-9333
Facsimile: (936) 715-9339
www.rankinlawfirm.com