Proposal to merge #ubuntu-quality and #ubuntu-bugs

Gema Gomez gema.gomez-solano at canonical.com
Thu Jan 3 14:10:12 UTC 2013


On 03/01/13 13:14, Omer Akram wrote:
> Hi All
> 
> Just recently there started a discussion on Ubuntu bug squad list about
> less people getting involved in bug triage along the discussion there
> were a few points raised which let me to put the idea of merging
> #ubuntu-quality and #ubuntu-bugs into one. Ultimately both have the same
> goal that is talking about quality in Ubuntu. 
> 
> At time people testing Ubuntu ISO will raise their bugs in
> #ubuntu-quality and discussions may take place there. People may or may
> not be available in both channels but since I believe people do talk
> mostly about bug reports in those channels (though #ubuntu-quality do
> have other topics as well) but I think merging them will make a few
> things easier one will be that there will be mostly a unified place for
> people to talk about bugs (i know people may talk in #ubuntu+1 or
> #ubuntu-desktop as well but those channels have their own reasons for
> exisitance)
> 
> Here I might not have a lot of point to argue plus I am never great with
> words but the overall notion is that I believe that it will result in a
> benefit for Ubuntu due to having a concentrated place to talk bugs.
> 
> Thoughts/Suggestions/Pros/Cons all welcome and appreciated
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> 

Hi Omer,

thanks for raising this point, I think it is important to keep in mind
why those two lists are separated and why they should stay separated, in
my opinion. I remember when I started to do Ubuntu QA, back in Oneiric,
we used to have a common meeting where bugs and QA were discussed
together because it seemed to "make sense" but I don't think it did, let
me try to explain why.

I agree that we all want to raise the quality of Ubuntu, but you could
use that same argument to merge ubuntu-devel into ubuntu-quality because
developers are fixing the bugs we find to make Ubuntu better... right?
But surely that doesn't resonate so well with you and I am sure it
wouldn't with most people in ubuntu-devel either.

I think both groups, quality and bug squad, have different aims and
different working practices and they need to be kept apart even if some
people from both groups have interests in both and want to keep up with
both areas, they are compatible, but not to be confused with each other.

Our job is to make sure Ubuntu works well under all sorts of conditions
and whenever necessary raise good bugs that the ubuntu squad can route
to the right developers for them to be fixed. Their job is prioritize
the bugs and make them visible to the developers so that they get fixed.
I'd argue that is not always happening, but then there are so many bugs
in launchpad that it is by no means and easy task.

In my view, two completely separate interests and aims: we should be
creating new, better test cases as we go, they should be finding new,
better ways to classify and manage bugs so that they get the right
attention and get diligently fixed.

Bug management falls closer to development than to QA, or maybe just in
between the two of them. Both important tasks, both very different in
nature. If they don't have a lot of people to do bug triaging, maybe we
could help them refocus their efforts by scheduling a meeting to hear
the concerns and problems and suggest solutions, but I don't think
merging the two groups again will fix their issues or ours.

Thanks,
Gema
-- 
Gema Gomez-Solano        <gema.gomez-solano at canonical.com>
Ubuntu QA Team           https://launchpad.net/~gema.gomez
Canonical Ltd.           http://www.canonical.com



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