On 23.07.2010, at 16:12, satsumac_sw wrote: > I have been wondering for some time now about the actual benefit of using > separate "bug tracking" and "user support/feedback" systems, (...) I just > can't see the big difference between them that would make it worth splitting > them up (and as such potentially resulting in doubling the code base).
It's an issue of usability and targeted design. Users want simple stuff, free-form. You want your bug database to contain only well-structured bugs that are actually relevant. You *do not* want your bug database open to your users. You will have unnecessary duplicates, and will be inundated with first-level support requests that have nothing to do with actual bugs, features or application developments. You will want to segment bugs according to your internal modules and program structure, not in the way they are exposed through the UI. Users will send you one message containing several bug reports (whether out of convenience or because they do not know that these seemingly connected issues are actually completely independent). Also, you do not want your internal processes to leak out to users. Users do not know how you work. If a bug gets closed as a duplicate because you merged it with another bug, they could get the impression that their bug report was a waste of time. If instead their support case just gets associated with the new bug, they won't even notice. Just look at how many developers get disheartened when Apple marks their bugs as "duplicate". Similarly, you may be working on a super-secret new release in a branch, and you don't want users to be notified of your bug-fixing spree if you know that the release containing this fix is still six months away. Do you want to leave fixed bugs open just for that? With a bug tracking system and support separate, you can close the bugs, mark them as "closed for the branch", and then when you release the branch go over all the associated support cases and tell the users that their bug has just been addressed. -- Uli Kusterer "The Witnesses of TeachText are everywhere..."
