Bug#681909: Subject: Suggestion: Four Weekly-Build, User writeable, User-Feedback-Status fields, for the Debian web site.
Package: www.debian.org
Severity: minor
Subject: Suggestion: Four Weekly-Build, User writeable,
User-Feedback-Status fields, for the Debian web site.
Regarding the the Debian page:
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/weekly-builds/ (For me, Testing
Wheezy i386 )
BENEFITS:
This is not a complaint, it is meant as a well intentioned observation
and suggestion, I believe it is a way to speed up the bug/fix cycle
with quick feedback and also increasing Debians available resources by
involving outside help, us Users.
PROPOSITION:
It would be helpfull if the the Weekly Build Status page included
four, User changeable, User Feedback fields:-
A first single field; with two dropdown selectable options for 'User
Feedback' flags, referencing the current Weekly Build feedback from
USERS, such as; "No known issues" or "Unknown", "Uninstallable", or
"Broken + Uninstalable". (A multiple choice, drop down selection.)
A second field for a "Bug# number" to enable a visiting User to
quickly track the status, helping the User make their download
decision, quickly and efficiently, instead of taking the best part of
a day to find out its broken.
A third field, of open text "Issue Description" field, for text like
"Weekly Build cut 20120702-03:50" for when there is no 'bug report
number' yet, because nobody is working on the issue. This gives an
instant indication and opportunity to a user, like me to download,
investigate and report the broken Weekly Build as a new bug.
These 'User Feedback Status' fields would go a long way to making life
easier to decide if its worth downloading, maybe cutting a disk, and
going through the install process before finding out the Weekly Build
is broken and will not boot.
A fourth field that is automatically updated with the date of the User change.
---
CURRENT WEB PAGE:
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/weekly-builds/
Currently the (URL above) page says: "Weekly build status Last
updated: 20th October 2011
All running normally, no issues to report. ( I know that it has been
broken for for at least 3 to 4 weeks.)
Possible bugs affecting the weekly builds No bugs found Last bug
check: 2012-07-17 08:10:02 UTC"
(today is 17.07.2012) I assume this means, ...with the build disk
packaging, which is reasonable statement.
EXPERIMENT:
One proposed suggestion may be to conduct a 6 month experiment by
creating and allowing on that page, a public access, "User Status
Feedback fields and Date" field, so that we users could help, by
updating the "Weekly Build (WB) Feedback Status".
Text could be added nearby with a disclaimer and warning that this
feedback is user changeable and may be wholly inaccurate.
If the experiment is not helpfull, or is abused, just tweak or fine
tune fields and text accordingly or stop the experiment.
REASON FOR CHANGE:
I would not have downloaded for so many weeks, the first two DVD's and
cut the first DVD (no net), then spent the time trying to install each
time, a known (by someone) broken uninstalable WB (Weekly Build) iso.
I could not see from previous bug searching, in advance, unless I had
the symptoms to search with from my many own fruitless installs and
resulting issues.
I am guessing here of course, the Weekly Builds are auto built, which
I now suspect they are, I trust that this is already the process. It
appears there may be nobody trying to check to see if the Weekly Build
actually installs.
Maybe this has probably been a glitch, has occured to me, and probably
due to the lack of people resources.
If I am wrong, then I do appologise.
Of course, holding back on publishing, or pulling the build is NOT an
option in my view. People need to work on something. That's why my
proposed 'WB USER Feedback Status Fields', to 'flag the WB iso' idea
of mine, may be of assistance in helping you decide the appropriate
measure, if any, to be taken here by (Debian) you.
The detail reason for my comments are contained in one of my
installation-reports. In this case, regarding Weekly Build
20120702-03:50 I have no bug# number to reference here yet, as I have
not submitted the 'Package: instalation-reports:' report yet, (work in
progress).
HISTORY:
Bear in mind that recently, more Wheezy Testing Weekly Builds have
install bugs that have not allowed a succesfull install, for various
reasons.
I did try, but failed to install, using; The Debian-Installer Alpha 1,
and Testing Wheezy i386 Weekly Build's;
Dated; 20120611-04:04, 20120618-04:03, 20120702-03:50, 20120709-03:47.
Maybe, yes maybe due to bugs; #674100, #676302, #638682, 681267 respectively.
To finish, I value everbody's work on Debian.org web site and am
overawed with, and gratefull to; GNU, Linux and Debian and the App
developers. I hope my above comments help, they are meant to.
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