Re: issue tracking options

[Yoni Rabkin]

Björn Bidar <bjorn.bidar@thaodan.de> writes:

> Yoni Rabkin <yoni@rabkins.net> writes:
>
> Hey,
>
> I started using Emms recently and thought of the same.
>
>> Emms has never had an issue/bug/feature tracker. But I want people to be
>> able to see what issues are currently being addressed, and the
>> direction/s Emms is going.
>
> That would be good, updating the website for such things would also
> help.
> Plus the webfrontend for the mailinglist is to out date, a more modern
> frontend such as mailman3 would help.
>
>
>> The Savannah issue tracker is Web-based, old, clunky, and centralized. I
>> have no intention in using it, and I certainly don't want to force
>> others to deal with what I don't want to deal with.
>>
>> I think that we can manage with a git repo which contains an issue list
>> as a text file: bullet-proof, fast, doesn't require a web browser,
>> decentralized, in-line with the way Emms itself is being developed.
>>
>> However, I don't think that Savannah will allow me to open a separate
>> git repo; they only have two per-project, and the other one is for the
>> site (and runs CVS... oof.)
>
> You have can have separate branches that don't share the same root
> commit.

Maybe I don't understand how "orphan" branches work with git, but
wouldn't that mean that when someone wants to update or view the issues,
they would have to switch to the orphan branch, and that would remove
all of the project files from the directory until they switch back?

That sounds inconvenient.


> However using Git for such use cases sounds like a nightmare for several
> reasons:
> 1. User friendly ness especially for beginners.
> 2. Conflicts

Yes, you are right.

On the other hand, beginners usually don't write into bug systems
either. Even mailing lists are hurdles for beginners. I typically have
to ask people to write into the mailing list.


> 3. The need for a predefined format, layout.

I'm not too worried about that. I think that one that works will
evolve. In any case, text files are super easy to search.


> 4. Lack of links between  bugs for things such as dependencies.

Very true. Links and the ability to attach files would be useful.


> While Debuggs isn't that good for anyone that doesn't use Email it is
> the closest one that I would think of as useful and easiest to setup.

How would you maintain a roadmap, or other development documents, via
debuggs?

What do other people here think? Which, if any, of the following options
would you be willing to work with for issue tracking for Emms?

I. a text file such as doc/issues.txt

II. a text file such as doc/issues.txt in a separate "issues" branch

III. debbugs

IV. a separate git repo

-- 
   "Cut your own wood and it will warm you twice"