CommitFest 2009-09, two weeks on

It's now been two weeks since we started this CommitFest, so it seems
like a good time to review where we are. Here are my thoughts, for
what that's worth.

Our overall rate of progress is significantly slower than it was last
time around. At a similar point in the July CommitFest, 19 patches
had been committed (not counting 3 that were committed before the
start of the CommitFest), 11 had been returned with feedback (again,
not counting 2 from before the start of the CommitFest), and 3 had
been rejected. The corresponding numbers for this CommitFest are 8,
7, and 3, which means that the rate of returning patches with feedback
and/or rejecting them is only modestly lower, but the rate of
committing is much lower. I'm not sure whether this is because the
patches are more complex, because the committers have been busy with
other issues, or some other reason.

We also have fewer patches than we did last time around. I believe we
started the last CommitFest with a bit more than 75 patches (there are
fewer now, as some were moved to this CommitFest) and we started this
one with just 48. This somewhat balances out the slower rate of
grinding through the patch queue, but I'm still a bit worried about
the rate at which we're making progress. It would be nice to be done
on time, and I'm not sure we're going to make it.

With respect to individual patches:

- There are three ECPG patches for which it's been difficult to find a
reviewer. It seems we don't have any reviewers familiar with ECPG.
If anyone is able to help review these, it would be much appreciated.
- There is one dblink pach left over from last CommitFest. Joe Conway
was going to review it the weekend of July 18th-19th, but that didn't
end up happening and so that patch is still waiting. We might be able
to find someone else to review it, but I'm not sure whether that will
help unless there is a committer other than Joe with bandwidth to do
the final review and commit.
- Hot Standby and Streaming Replication are both huge new features in
this CommitFest, and there seems to be a fair amount of activity
around both patches. Heikki previously expressed optimism about
getting Hot Standby done this CommitFest, but I am not sure whether he
is still feeling optimistic, or what his feelings are about Streaming
Replication, which is currently waiting on Fujii Masao for a new
version.

On the whole, it seems like patch authors have done a better job than
last time of responding to feedback in a timely fashion - very little
is falling out due to submitter inattention. That is good, although
it also means that the percentage of patches that will require
substantive action (rather than, say, summary rejection for
non-communication) is apt to be higher. I am also generally under the
impression that we have a larger number of complex patches this time
around. Some of that may be because much good feedback was given in
the last CommitFest, and previously half-baked ideas are coming back a
little more well done.

...Robert