On Fri, 2004-04-02 at 19:48, Andrew Ross wrote:
> > The problems is that the original reporter didn't set the bug's severity
> > properly, and I can't correct it because I'm not "the owner or submitter
> > of the bug, or a sufficiently empowered user".
> > 
> > This leaves me in a pickle - I don't want to file a duplicate bug, but I
> > feel that the lack of activity on the bug may be, in part, due to its
> > low severity (it should be blocker, but is rated normal).
> > 
> > Would it be appropriate to reassign the bug to bug-wranglers and request
> > the severity upgrade? The bug has been open since 2003-08-17 and the
> > only comments are from users reporting similar problems, so I assume the
> > dev isn't interested in working on the problem (or doesn't have the time).

Here's a few suggestions, based on personal experience:

1) Not all developers use or care about the priority. Your assumption is
just that.

2) Let the developers set the priorities. They know (or should know)
what's important and what's not. Some of them will get annoyed if people
screw around with the priorities after they have been set.

3) Priority is a very subjective issue. Sure, you consider it a blocker,
but perhaps to another person a blocker bug is something that completely
destroys an installed Gentoo system.

4) If you want the assignees to pay attention to a bug, create some
activity. Add a (polite!) comment requesting attention. That way the
assignees get an email reminding them of its existence if they were
concentrating on other things.

Thanks,
-- 
Donnie Berkholz
Gentoo Linux