[Zope-PTK] FYI: Issue tracking

[Paul Everitt]

Brian Lenihan wrote:
> I have to say I beg to differ.   Part of the open source model is to
> release early and often.  I personally don't care if early releases are
> incomplete or buggy, I just want to see if there is something there which
> interests me enough do something about helping to make it work in my mostly
> non-existent spare time.

That's certainly true from your perspective.  But every time we've
thrown something over with no support (e.g. Confera, NotMail) it has
just engendered frustration.  And we're resolved to focus our time on
doing better at less, or at least striving to.

I'm not too sure Digital Creations is doing that bad on adhering to Open
Source.  I don't think the Open Source Zen involves putting out
something you have no intention of answering bug reports on.  Ask people
if they are frustrated that we don't pay enough attention to the
Collector.

> As for documentation, python tends to be self-documenting. One could argue
> that Zope is an exception to this rule, but then one would have to be
> somewhat lazy to do so.

Still, Zope appeals to people that don't read Python code.  Even people
like Andrew Kuchling have (IMO, correctly) chimed in that Zope needs
good documentation.  Check out Jeff Shelton's "rant" on Zope Newbie News
(available of the Zope.org homepage).

> There has been plenty if interest expressed in getting access to the
> various iterations of DC's problem tracking code.  How is the Zope
> community going to scratch that itch unless you make the code accessible ?
> 
> I'll bet you cash money the tracker will be ready for general use quicker
> if you just throw it out and see what happens.

But at this point getting it ready for general use isn't a goal.  Take a
look at the number of good comments PTK has engendered.  We don't have
the resources to receive that kind of input on Tracker.  We are hugely,
hugely swamped with consulting work.  (Anybody want a job?  Can you
bring a friend or twenty to Virginia with you?  I'm serious.)

Which certainly brings up the point that one way to make Tracker
something we have to care about is for some customer to pay enough money
to displace the current priorities.  If for instance a prominent company
gave us a case study and a big support contract, then we'd be able to
focus and align our goals on this issue.

In the end, we all have our agendas: folks outside Digital Creations
would like a Zope-based issue tracker, and we want to make sure we keep
focus.  Soon, those two agendas will align regarding Tracker.  Until
then, we have to make sure that we manage expectations.

--Paul