On 12/9/10 1:02 AM, Don Clugston wrote:
On 9 December 2010 01:16, Andrei Alexandrescu<[email protected]> wrote:
I don't really understand the stiff opposition to this. This is not the time
and the place to criticize the past and present of our process, but instead
to take steps to improve it. Part of improving the process, now that fixing
bugs is a major focus, is to figure out a good ranking function for bugs.
And I believe that increasing the number of votes per user would contribute
to that. Could we please push this through? Let's make it happen.
Let me explain the stiff opposition.
This change DESTROYS THE EXISTING STATISTICS.
When you make a radical change like this, you have to wait for at a
least a year or so before the statistics are meaningful again.
It took a couple of years to get them to the level they are at now. Seriously.
As one of the very few people who actually *uses* the vote statistics,
to determine which bugs to fix, I'm quite annoyed about this.
OK. Since I don't feel strongly about this and you do, I withdraw my
suggestion. Brad, could you please change the parameters back?
You also made this statement on the newsgroup:
Right now the process of choosing which bug to fix next is unstructured.
I think this indicates a misconception.
Over the last six months, nearly 90% of fixed bugs were patches. I
think it's entirely appropriate that bugs with correct patches get
high priority.
And since they are community-driven, there's not much control over
which bugs they are.
Half the patches are mine. I follow a definite priority in choosing
which bugs to patch.
1. Wrong-code regression
2. ICE regression
3. wrong code bugs marked 'blocker' or 'critical'
4. Compiler segfault
5. Missing line number
6. ICE or wrong code, non-obscure situation
7. Regression, non-obscure (most recently introduced get highest priority)
8. ICE or wrong code, more obscure situation
Bugs with votes jump a couple of places up the list. There *ought* to
be categories below those I've listed, where votes and age would play
a big role, but there have just been too many bugs in the top
priority categories.
I also patch a few bugs which aren't on that list, mostly when they're
very easy, or when I hit them myself. I also do CTFE bugs, because I
feel I've taken ownership of that part of the compiler.
Note that people don't tend to vote for ICE and wrong-code bugs,
because you don't notice them until after they've wasted days of your
life.
Great. I wasn't aware of this, and it's reasonable to assume that people
hanging out on the NG aren't either. Would be great to paste this in a
response when the topic of bug fixing planning comes about.
Thanks,
Andrei
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