Re: [gentoo-dev] Bugzilla etiquette suggestions

[Daniel Drake]

Henrik Brix Andersen wrote:
>> 3. Always record contributions by name
>>
>> If you commit something in response to a bug report that has been filed,
>> always thank the user by full name (and bug number) in the ChangeLog and
>> commit message.
>>
>> Do the above even if you already knew about the bug (i.e. you would have
>> committed the same fix even if the user hadn't alerted you).
>>
>> This also applies for ebuild requests, ebuild submissions, and version
>> bump requests/submissions. Might sound pointless for 'trivial'
>> reports/requests but it is important to credit the user if they have
>> gone to the trouble of filing a bug.
>
> I don't really get this part. Why should I give credit to someone else
> for providing a fix for a bug which I already fixed myself locally?

Maybe not if you have already done the work. I was thinking more of the 
scenario, upstream does a release. You are on the mailing list so you 
know about the new version. You decide you'll bump it in portage tomorrow.

Overnight, someone files a request for a version bump. Maybe they attach 
a new ebuild or state that the existing one needs bumping.

Even though you knew about it, I was suggesting that you credit the user 
for filing the bug.

I'm not sure of the best way to handle the situation where the user 
files a bug that you have already solved locally.

> Why should I give credit to a user who filed a version bump request
> two hours after release and more or less doubled my work in actually
> performing the version bump?

I'd say doubling is a bit of an exaggeration, since it really isn't that 
much work to mark a bug fixed. Not that bumping an ebuild is complicated 
anyway.

The issue I am trying to approach is that the user who filed the bug is 
likely to check the ChangeLog, and will be mildly upset if they are not 
mentioned yet it appears that their bug report *may* have triggered the 
bump.

Put another way, what is the harm of putting a name in the ChangeLog 
when it may motivate that person to contribute more? The "damage" (them 
filing the bug, when you didn't strictly need it) is already done, and 
by showing them this kind of respect they hopefully won't repeat their 
"mistake".

> Credit where credit is due, of course. Ebuild submissions, well
> thought-out and well-tested patches, problem analysis and similar
> should of course be credited - but to credit each and every user who
> just happened to be the first to file an enhancement request for
> version bump? First post, anyone?

"Gentoo is like a drug"

Indeed, if enforced globally then we might end up with a situation like 
that and something would need to be done. I somehow doubt that would be 
the case. But people racing to contribute would also have its desirable 
effects :)

>> 4. Give the user a chance to make minor corrections
>
> This will also double if not tripple my work-load. I understand the
> motivation for this, but let's face it: developers are here for the
> fun too - personally I am not here to educate end-users about minor
> details which they might as well have read up on first by
> themselves. I know that may sound harsh, it's not meant that way.

That is a fair point, and if you can't afford to spend the time on it 
then I'm not complaining. However, there are situations where this can 
*save* you time. One example that springs to mind:

http://bugs.gentoo.org/119178

- I have very little clue about jfsutils
- I suck at ebuilds
- I know of flag-o-matic's existence but had no clue how to use it

It obviously didn't take me much time to add the comments that I wrote 
there, and it definitely saved me time in solving the bug, and educated 
me as well.

> Just my thoughts on the above. All in all a good summary/reminder
> about our behavior towards end-users who are being/trying to be
> helpful. Thank you for taking the time to write it up.

Thanks for the feedback. Indeed it does have some "perfect world" 
implications, but I'm not suggesting this should happen every time 
everywhere. I just think that more consideration in this area would make 
a real difference.

On a similar note, I received a very interesting book as a birthday 
present last year. It's called "How to win friends and influence people" 
by Dale Carnegie and can be picked up very cheaply at any decent 
bookshop. That probably indirectly influenced some of the above - highly 
recommended for people interested in motivating others.

Daniel
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