[Reportbug-maint] merging common stuff in python-debianbts?

[Ben Finney]

"Sandro Tosi" writes:

> On Sun, Jun 15, 2008 at 12:44, Ben Finney wrote:
> > I think that one of the reasons the package has so many open bugs
> > for so long is because the code base needs fixes for numerous
> > architectural and coding-style problems.
> 
> so, you're proposing to postpone the bugs fixing after architectural
> changes?

Bugfixing shouldn't be *postponed* for this, of course. I apologise if
I gave that mistaken impression.

I'm proposing minimal architectural changes, the nature of which were
already mooted as desirable by Chris Lawrence even before he decided
to add more maintainers to the project, that I believe will make the
current bugfixing incrementally easier.

I'm also asking for feedback before merging the changes, and thank you
for providing that feedback :-)

> what about lenny? it's coming every day nearer... wasn't
> reportbug-ng removed from testing because of old bugs unaddressed?

Currently <URL:http://bugs.debian.org/reportbug> shows all open bugs
are of severity no higher than 'important'. Was 'reportbug-ng' removed
for having bugs that were not release-critical?

> would we ship reportbug in lenny like it's now or a better one?

I'm sure we are all in agreement that we want as good a 'reportbug' in
'lenny' as we can get. That is, in fact, my motivation for this work.


Perhaps you're thinking that if I weren't doing this change I would
instead be fixing bugs? That's not the case. I'm trying to become
familiar with the code base, fixing bugs as I can, but largely trying
to understand.

While I become familiar with the code, there are changes of obvious
benefit to the code base, and I'm making those changes immediately.

Then there are slightly larger changes, like the current
library-module restructure. I'm asking the project whether we want
that change in, with my best effort to keep it minimally disruptive
while also providing a benefit to the bug-fixing effort.

> that's why I think it's better to leave such things for lenny+1 and
> trying to fix bugs for lenny (and july is the distro freeze, 1 month
> and half left), IMHO.

This change is intended to improve the maintenance burden, including
bug fixing.

In that light, and with apropriate documentation, do you still think
this change is more harmful than beneficial?

-- 
 \      "I stayed up all night playing poker with tarot cards. I got a |
  `\               full house and four people died."  -- Steven Wright |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney