Modifying a bug's description

[HggdH]

> Instead of this we should ask the launchpad-devs to implement
> something like a whitebox section for each bugreport, or a different
> solution. I understand that such a solution would take some time. 

I agree, and I really wish this would be implemented by LP development.

I would just change 'instead' to 'in addition'.
 
One of my pet peeves on BTSs is how most of them do not allow edit of
the description (and almost all of them do not provide areas for what
Brian asked for, not even whitebox-like). This is usually based on a
perception that we should never change what the reporter said (valid on
some situations -- mostly because of legal liabilities --, invalid on
others). 

In our case, we search LP to find bugs that match some scenario we have
in mind, and we look at each hit the following way:

1 -- bug title and package -- if the bug title matches what we are
looking for, we usually go in. If both the title and package matches,
then we certainly go in;

2. -- description -- if the bug title looks promising, we enter the bug
and look at the description. 

3. -- Nowadays -- we also browse through *all* comments looking for
<whatever>, and (sometimes) skipping through a lot of useless clutter.

So summarising the most important facts about a bug in an easily
reachable region is important. A direct conclusion is that updating
title, package and description helps a lot. adjusting the 'description'
field to look like a whitebox helps even more.

The whitebox-like area is probably a better initial approach: we do not
yet know *all* we would like to have there. It is also most probably THE
best approach, allowing for users to adjust as needed without requiring
coding.

Perhaps we would also benefit from searchable checkboxes like
"workaround available". Keep in mind that half of our population is
searching LP.

> In
> the meantime, part of the 'changing descriptions'-policy should always
> be a a clear indication like "<user xxx>: added testcase".

-1. this just adds more clutter, and we can see who edited the
description in the activity log; anyway, a bug entered ceases being
owned by the reporter -- it is now a collective piece of work. The
reporter goes into History as the reporter; the working bees go into
History as a footnote.

And... we could use it now.

Cheers,

..hggdh..
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