reporting bugs that are not easily reproducible

[Dr. David Alan Gilbert]

* Scott Moser (smoser at ubuntu.com) wrote:
> Hi,
> I have been pointed at http://www.ubuntu.com/community/report-problem
> by a user who had a legitimate issue with Ubuntu, but was under the
> impression that because the issue was not easily reproducible they should
> not report the bug.
> 
> The URL above says specifically:
>    File a bug report
>    You should only file a bug report when:
>     * You can repeat the problem
> 
> I don't think that text is correct, and honestly was surprised that someone
> would read it literally.  Because an issue is not trivially reproducible
> does not mean that it should not be reported.  The statement above gives a
> different impression.
> 
> Can we get that text clarified?  Personally I'm interested in issues that
> are not 100% reproducible.

I agree; a non-reproducable bug for 1 person is frankly very unlikely
to get fixed; if 200 people all have the same bug that they can't
reproduce easily then it can be just as serious as one that has already
got a well defined series of steps to reproduce.   If most of those
200 feel they can't file it because they haven't got that
series of steps then it just never gets fixed.

Once filed a triager might be able to suggest steps to narrow it
down, places to look when it does fail and then help produce that
series of steps.

Dave
-- 
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