TC mailing list and BTS usage
Now that we are dealing with a number of issues simultaneously, and
all getting a number of copies of lots of messages, I think we need to
think about our workflow a bit better.
We would like to
- avoid spamming an existing bug with our deliberations (in
particular, that makes it difficult to reassign the bug
back usefully since the history will be obscured by a giant
email thread)
- allow people to subscribe to only some of the issues
being discussed
- organise the discussion in a way that makes it possible to
find all of it easily without having to deal with multiple
varying subject line keywords
- everyone to get as few redundant mails as possible
I propose the following scheme:
1. The first time an issue is referred to the TC, a new bug will be
created which is filed against `debian-ctte'. This bug will
be set to block all the other bug(s) involved.
1a. If an existing bug is reassigned to the TC, or other
irregularities occur, before discussion starts the first
person to reply in the context of the TC will ensure that this
situation is rectified. This might involve creating the new
bug and reassigning blocked bugs back to their originating
packages.
1b. For avoidance of doubt, only bugs originally filed against the
TC will be used for this purpose.
1c. If multiple such bugs are created they will be merged but we
will use only the lowest-numbered for discussion.
2. The specially-created bug will be used for all discussion. All
discussion will be CC'd to it.
3. Interested parties should subscribe to the bug when they become
aware of the situation (for example by being alerted to it by a CC)
and may have to read the archives of the TC bug to catch up.
4. Messages about a TC issue should NOT also be CC'd to the
debian-ctte list. (Since the BTS will send the messages there.)
5. Ideally messages should not be CC'd to
- TC members
- People participating in the discussion who have
subscribed to the bug
BUT the exact set of people included in that scope is not 100%
clear and it is better to err on the side of including people:
- Participants /should/ CC other people in the discussion
unless they are sure that they're TC members or subscribed
to the bug
6. When the discussion is completed and a decision made or the issue
resolved, the TC bug will be closed but remain available for any
further discussion, enforcement, or whatever. The other bugs
involved will naturally become unblocked and may need to be
assigned or reassigned as appropriate.
6a. The special TC discussion bug will not be reassigned to
another package.
6b. If necessary new bugs might be created, if none already
exist, to ensure that every package which needs to change
or team which needs to do work, has the appropriate
communication.
We should consider this proposal before implementing it, although of
course the current approach is very ad-hoc.
Ian.
Reply to: