Bug#242419: general: need for a webbased BTS
Gergely Nagy <algernon@debian.org> writes:
> I'd expect the quality of bugreports to drop seriously if there
> would be a web interface too. If it would need a log-in process,
> that might change the situation, but then someone would come
> complaining that they have to register in order to submit a bug :P
Having to register just to submit a bug report sucks.
As far as the bug reports' quality goes, using a web frontend doesn't
need to result in worse bug reports. Just make sure that it's not one
simple script that just throws form contents at the BTS. Newer
versions of reportbug query the BTS so the submitter can make sure
that his bug hasn't already been filed.
> Handling an editor and sending mail is all one needs to report bugs
> into our BTS. I do want to require at least these two skills from
> people attempting to report bugs.
Reality check: Most people who have gotten Internet access after 1997
don't even know what a text editor is. And, yes, this includes many
Linux users. A few years ago, using e-mail required setting up a
client program on your PC and many people were used to that. Nowadays,
with services like Hotmail, Yahoo, etc. probably most e-mail users
just use some web frontend.
It's not so much the issue whether a user would be able to use a text
editor and to have his own system send mail, but if he would be
comortable with it.
> Or at least, clue to ask someone else to report a bug for him if
> he's not familiar with the BTS (there is IRC, various lists, forums,
> LUGs, friends and all kinds of stuff to help newbies getting used to
> the BTS).
Reality check: How many users ask other people how to do
"uninteresting" things (with interesting things being file-sharing or
warez downloads)?
> The BTS pages also have decent documentation about bug reporting
> too, imho.
Reality check: Who actually reads documentation before trying
something?
-Hilko
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