Re: [HACKERS] Collaboration Tool Proposal

Neil Conway <neilc(at)samurai(dot)com> writes:
> Peter Eisentraut <peter_e(at)gmx(dot)net> writes:
>> I think we had previously decided that we will not allow a random user
>> off the street to file bug reports into whatever system we end up
>> using.

> Uh, why not? (And more to the point, why raise the barrier to entry on
> reporting bugs?)

Our first try at a bug tracking system, several years ago, was open to
anybody to create entries, and we found that the signal-to-noise ratio
went to zero in no time. Too many not-a-bugs, too many support
requests, too few actual bugs. We went back to using the pgsql-bugs
mailing list.

It could be that in the intervening time, people have gotten used to bug
trackers because of their availability on other projects. If so, we
might find a better grade of reports coming in. I'm not very optimistic
about that though.

As for raising the barrier, you can presently submit bug reports to
pgsql-bugs by either mail or webform. Most of the bug trackers I'm
aware of are webform-only. I don't consider that a step forward,
especially since a webform isn't very conducive to making good reports
(it's hard to attach test cases, for instance).

regards, tom lane