Hi, If I correctly understand the topics discussed in this thread, we are concerning how to convey design ideas to developers effectively, and how to welcome new developers while keeping a high standards at the same time.
For both issues mentioned above, I would suggest to enforce automatic testings(including unit test and integration test). (http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Source/Architecture/Automated_Testing) As a beginner Blender developer myself, Being able to pass testings at least can make sure my change to Blender works(this can be seen as a minimum requirements for volunteers), and it works with other subsystem in Blender(one may need helps from senior developers to achieve this standard). Besides, to be able to fit in to a testing framework it also requires a structured implementation from a clear design. All of these testings can happen automatically. I think this can greatly speed up our review process. For developers from other parts of Blender, The testings can also convey design ideas in a more effective and stable way than other approaches such as documentation. A documentation may be outdated but a set of working testing cases are not. By automating the testing, other developers can spend more time on optimizing the artistic workflow of a candidate commit. I understand that enforcing testing can be a time consuming task in project. But it may be considered for a long term plan. On 8/17/2015 00:05, Ton Roosendaal wrote: > Hi Kai, > > If you check the fracture modifier code review you can see how many hours > went into reviewing it and taking it very seriously. It's really important to > welcome new developers but it's also good to keep up a minimal quality > standard for contributions. > > Scorpion81 choose to make things work in a way which we advised to not do. To > add Fracture properly something bigger (and more complicated) has to be > tackled first. That he is too inexperienced for. His code worked though, > which made not accepting it not an easy decision. > > I don't see this as a lack of coordination. It's more of lack of time of the > really competent people here on board to work on design topics. > > Also because of the enormously positive reviews on Siggraph - I'm quite > concerned about how we can keep up our really high standards with volunteers > and part time (new) developers. It's becoming a dilemma. We need to be > welcoming to new people, but also maintain a really advanced project. That's > one of the things to think over the coming months! > > -Ton- > > -------------------------------------------------------- > Ton Roosendaal - [email protected] - www.blender.org > Chairman Blender Foundation - Producer Blender Institute > Entrepotdok 57A - 1018AD Amsterdam - The Netherlands > > > > On 15 Aug, 2015, at 17:39, Kai Kostack wrote: > >> Hello folks, >> >> I'm writing on my behalf but also on behalf of the Fracture Modifier >> developer scorpion81. >> >> We are a bit disappointed about how the redesign process of certain Blender >> internals evolves. There are a lot of communication channels but obviously >> they aren't used for core decision making or even for brainstorming. We feel >> being excluded from those important steps. >> >> It is looming ahead that we may ultimately be faced with a fait accompli, >> which - in my opinion - cannot be the goal of an open source development >> venture like Blender. We think it is not to early to criticize this practice >> for this very reason. >> >> Seeing increasingly frustration building up in dedicated developers who only >> try to make everything right and make their work fit into the current or >> future Blender design but get almost to none help on doing so makes me sad. >> >> The Blender development community needs to become more open and more >> inviting to new developers as it needs them. They are valuable! But they >> also need support, they need positive reinforcement, they need answers. Help >> them to make the impossible possible and not the other way around. >> >> I would love to make suggestions on how to immediately improve that >> situation but I'm not sure what way to go, it's certainly not easy to change >> old habits. I just know that something has to change. >> >> Maybe a weekly meeting per each module team (or working group, or task >> force) on whose module is currently being worked on at a central place like >> IRC would improve communication with new developers, stakeholders etc. - >> Other suggestions? >> >> Thank you. >> >> -- Kai >> _______________________________________________ >> Bf-committers mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers > _______________________________________________ > Bf-committers mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers _______________________________________________ Bf-committers mailing list [email protected] http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
