Re: Draft new DFSG
Package: developers-reference
Version: 2.5.0
Note: in the future, please do me the courtesy of submitting bugs
against developers-references, instead of bashing it or using a
problem in the package to demonstrate some so-called larger
conspiracy of Debian. That's just not fair to me.
The content of the Developer's Reference is my reponsibility; for any
errors, I accept the blame.
In article <19981130203419.B24962@kitenet.net>, Joey Hess <joey@kitenet.net> writes:
> Avery Pennarun wrote:
>> On Mon, Nov 30, 1998 at 06:31:22PM -0800, Joey Hess wrote:
>>
>> > Complete agreement here, I dislike the consitution, the new
>> policy > maintainence system, developers not being able to close
>> bugs in other's > packages, and all the recent buerarcracy of the
>> past 6 months.
>>
>> What? We can't close each other's bugs? When did that start?
> Developer's reference, section 7.1:
> Note that when you are neither the bug submitter nor the package
> maintainer, you are not empowered to actually close the bug (unless
> you secure permission from the maintainer).
> I don't know when this came to be, I think it must have happened
> when I was gone for a month around June, or I would have objected
> strenuously.
> This is why you see so many bugs lately marked fixed or retitled to
> FIXED, because they are fixed, but the person who fixed them or who
> notices they were fixed lacks authority to do it.
>> Mind you, I can't think of many good reasons to close someone
>> else's bug, but I can't think of a good reason to stop us, either.
> If I was able to reproduce it before, and I see a new version makes
> it irreproducable, I personally think I should be able to close it.
> Also, some bugs are quite plainly bogus or operator error, and it'd
> be nice to be able to clear out clutter in the BTS by closing them
> when you notice them.
BTW, I basically agree with you.
Now, I probably need to loosen the language. The fact is, unless you
know what you are doing, you *shouldn't* close other people's bugs.
IMHO, bugs you neither submitted nor against packages you maintain
shouldn't be closed, unless you have the permission of the maintainer
to do so.
Remember what the Developer's Reference is for: a reference for new
maintainers or unclear maintainers on the best practices of being a
maintainer. It must reflect the *current*, factual state of affairs
of archive maintenance and the BTS and all that.
Moreover, it is a "mirror for princes" combined with system
documentation; it is not Policy. Maybe parts of it should eventually
become policy. Who knows.
--
.....Adam Di Carlo....adam@onShore.com.....<URL:http://www.onShore.com/>
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