On Sun, Mar 07, 2004 at 12:23:22PM -0600, Carl Gutwin wrote:
> Thanks a lot for your answers. Would you mind if I ask a couple of
> follow-up questions? Let me know if I should be posting this to the list
> (I have been subscribed to it for a while) or whether this should stay
> on email.
Probably an on-list query is best. Gives everyone an opportunity to
reply to your queries.
> - You said that things often start on the mailing list and then migrate
> to the issue tracker. Do developers actively monitor the tracker, either
> for issues that they started, or just generally? I notice that it's set
> up with a query interface, which might make general monitoring more
> difficult (as your hacking guide says, "the issues database is for
> permanent storage and flow annotation, not for real-time conversation").
I neglected to mention that there is also a mailing list where all issue
tracker activity is posted. Not all the developers subscribe. But the
issue tracker also lets developers/users to add themselves as a CC on
the mail for the issues that they find relevent. So in this respect
while developers probably aren't running queries against the issue
tracker they can stay aware of what is going on with it.
> - Is Subversion small enough that you can maintain a general idea of
> what everybody does?
I tend to forget who works on some parts of the code. So I don't think
I can really say yes to this. The group of regular contributors is
fairly small. I have a fairly good idea what the regular people are up
to. The less active people I'm not so clear on what their interests
are.
> - Given that there aren't specific assigned responsibilities, if you
> wanted to make a change to a module, how would you find out who to talk
> to before starting (assuming you don't already know, or are new)? Or,
> would you simply start a discussion on the list and assume that the
> right people would see it and jump in?
Usually what happens is someone mentions some change that they are
interested in making/having made. The merits of that change get
discussed. Then if it's agreed that it is a good idea someone says
they'll do it.
There really aren't any "right people" on this project. Full committers
are all equal on their influence over all parts of the code. Though
they generally have areas that they simply don't get involved in.
People who aren't familiar with any of this often post patches without
any discussion. But the HACKING file directs them to look at the issue
tracker, so usually there aren't problems with multiple implementations
of something.
Not that multiple implementations is necessarily bad either. It gives
some competition and the best one will be committed.
--
Ben Reser <ben@reser.org>
http://ben.reser.org
"Conscience is the inner voice which warns us somebody may be looking."
- H.L. Mencken
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Received on Sun Mar 7 21:11:24 2004