Re: No Issue Tracker - Say it Ain't So!

* Joe Conway (mail(at)joeconway(dot)com) wrote:
> On 09/24/2015 10:08 AM, Stephen Frost wrote:
> > debbugs does most of the above by default, no programming needed... I'm
> > sure we could get it to integrate with the commitfest and have a git
> > commit hook which sends the appropriate email to it also.
> >
> > That the emacs folks are using it makes me *much* more interested in the
> > idea of getting debbugs up and running..
>
> I'm not familiar with debbugs myself, but given that description it
> sounds to me like it would be worth giving it a try.

It started out as Debian's bug tracking system, but apparently others
are using it now also.

Here's an example.

The main view for a particular package:

https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/pkgreport.cgi?pkg=util-linux;dist=unstable

A specific bug:

https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=786804

Note that the interface for working with the bug tracker is primairly
email, while everything is available for display over the web. There is
an interface at the bottom of the 'main' package page for submitting a
bug and, iirc, there's a system-wide bug submission form somewhere too.

You'll notice that, at the bottom of the bug referenced above, is a
message which is auto-generated from a Debian Developer uploading a new
version that included 'Closes: #786804' in the changelog. Having
something similar work for commits wouldn't be hard at all.

Including the bug's email address (all bugs have their own email
address) on the thread is also an excellent way to keep track of all of
the discussion which happened around a certain bug, even through subject
changes or whatever.

Not saying it's perfect, of course, but it's probably the best option
for minimizing impact on our existing process.

Thanks!

Stephen