Re: bug tracking

[csj <csj@zapo.net>]

At Fri, 12 Sep 2003 18:18:39 +0100,
Colin Watson wrote:
> 
> On Fri, Sep 12, 2003 at 04:02:11PM +0800, csj wrote:
> > I'm just curious about Debian's "bug" policy.
> > 
> > I know that some bugs aren't fixable (because either they're
> > too expensive to fix or upstream thinks they're a "feature").
> > But how are bug reports resolved in the Debian bug system?  I
> > just checked my favorite bug, and it's still under the
> > heading "outstanding" rather than "resolved" and the program
> > in question has had, IRC, two major releases.
> > 
> > I'm not asking that the bug be "solved".  I just want it
> > "resolved".  Doesn't the bug report at least merit a "No, I
> > won't fix it, unless somebody submits the code"?
> 
> That's entirely up to the maintainer of the package and/or any
> other random people who happen to look at it. Forget policy
> here, it's a matter of people having time and interest to do
> the work. If you give more details about the bug in question
> then perhaps somebody could be encouraged to look at it. (Bug
> #162308?)

Is it that much work to, as Osamu Aoki said, change the priority
or downgrade the bug?  Then I'd know how I stand WRT package.  I
know its limits, especially when the author or maintainer rants
"Yyyou moron, that's a feature not a bug!"  I might still
continuing recommending the package, but I'd qualify the
recommendation with "You need to do this [trivial hack] before
you get it to work".

> Sometimes the type of response you're talking about happens,
> but it's rather rare for a bug submitter to be satisfied with
> that, so many maintainers assume that it's taken as read.

I'd be satisfied with a "Won't fix" response.  I'd filed bugs
with a maintainer well-known for his abrasive responses.  But at
least he responds!