On 02/03/2011 16:05, R. David Murray wrote:
On Wed, 02 Mar 2011 13:10:04 +0000, Mark
Smith<mark.sm...@practicalpoetry.co.uk> wrote:
The following is going to sound bitter...
I was fired with enthusiasm for working on Python after the sprints at
EuroPython last year. I submitted 3 (I think) patches for pulldom - a test
suite (it has 0% code coverage at present), documentation for the module
(there isn't any at present), and a patch deprecating a function that is
broken. They're all still open, and the patches are getting staler by the
month.
The point of this level of detail is: I was new to the project; I submitted
some relatively uncomplicated patches that trivially, visibly, and (mostly)
uncontroversially improve Python - one of them was a /documentation/ patch.
Then nothing happened, apart from the odd comment from people who commented
on the tickets - and I responded to their queries. So now I'm of the opinion
that it's not worth submitting patches to the Python project at all, because
they'll never be accepted. I'll dedicate my time to something else instead.
Mercurial /will/ make it easier to contribute code, but if it doesn't get
accepted into a release branch, then that makes no real difference to me.
Seriously guys - fix the issue lifecycle; I'll come back.
This is really valuable feedback. Thanks Mark.
After running a core sprint at PyOhio I realized that one thing that is
*seriously* needed is more followup after a sprint (and probably after
bug days as well). I didn't gather the information at the sprint that
I would have needed to do that followup (who exactly did submit patches
during the sprint and which patches?).
I'd like to suggest that we collect such information one way or another
for the PyCon sprint, and pay special attention to those patches in the
weeks following PyCon.
Yes. There is little point in putting effort (and money) into finding
new contributors if we can't retain them and don't make use of the work
they do.
Mark - if the patches you provided are still outstanding can you let us
know what the issue numbers are?
All the best,
Michael Foord
The other issue with the pulldom patches, Mark, is that unfortunately
you fell into one of the black holes: I don't think there are any active
committers who know much, if anything, about pulldom.
As with everything else, it comes down to lack of people hours. People pay
attention to what interests them, and some attention to other stuff,
and there aren't enough people for that "some attention to other stuff"
to cover all the patches that are submitted.
There are probably ways to improve patch lifecycle management, but I don't
think there is any *fix* other than more people. So, doing followup after
sprints/bug days to help keep contributor enthusiasm going and get some of
them converted into committers is perhaps the best "fix" we could apply.
Of course, doing that followup requires people-time.......
--
R. David Murray www.bitdance.com
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May you find forgiveness for yourself and forgive others
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