Feedback on bug reports

[Daniel Keep]

Bill Baxter wrote:
> torhu wrote:
>> David Ferenczi wrote:
>>>>> It seems that this request has been silently ignored. Rejecting
>>>>> would be
>>>>> ok, but ignorance is more than disappointing.
>>>>>
>>>>> I would like to understand the reasons.
>>>>>
>>>>> Could anybody give me some short explanation on this?
>>>>
>>>> It's a one-man project, so the reason there's not much feedback is
>>>> shortage of manpower.  It's just the way it is, we've all had to get
>>>> used to this fact.  A one-man project that creates free products can't
>>>> provide the same level of customer support that a commercial project
>>>> can.  Hope this explains it.
>>>
>>> Thanks, I agree. But I think it somehow also lies on the topic. There
>>> are
>>> topics, which get attention immediately, and there are others, which
>>> never.
>>>
>>> The point is, just like in case of bug reports, to get some feedback.
>>> Let it
>>> be even a single line.
>>>
>>> If you have a community around your project, it is necessary to
>>> communicate
>>> with them. Or just define some rules, if you don't have time for it.
>>> E.g. I
>>> don't answer mails, newsgroup post, except for...
>>>
>>> The worst can happen to enthusiast users that they get ignored. This
>>> makes
>>> also the recommendation of D questionable.
>>>
>>> My suggestion addressed this kind of situation at bug reports. And the
>>> impression is (maybe the truth is totally different) that nobody cares.
>>
>> I fully agree with you.  I expect the situation will improve sooner or
>> later, forced by increasing adoption of D.  How it's going to happen
>> remains to be seen.
> 
> I was watching this Google Tech talk:
> http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4216011961522818645&q=poisonous+people
> 
> from the guys who run Subversion.
> 
> One of the things they mention in there is the importance of
> responsiveness, and they suggest that some member of the project should
> be made responsible for addressing all issues that come into the mailing
> lists that seem to get dropped.

Interestingly, this is kind of how Blizzard handles its customers in
World of Warcraft.  When you post on the forums, you basically "talk" to
the CMs (or Community Managers), not the devs.

So, let's say you ask "are Druids not supposed to tank in Kharazan?"
Presumably, a CM reads this and writes it down on his little list.  He
then goes off to the devs and says "yo ma homies, wats up wit the no
love on the bears goin' up the tower, man?"

And the devs kinda shrug and say "we'll get back to you," and then
don't, or just say "because."

And then the community gets pissy with the CMs for not doing their job,
which they really are, but the devs are still as busy now as they are
when they decided "we need someone to read the forums for us."

If the people reading the forums really know what's going on, then it's
OK; but if they have to go ask the devs, it seems to fall apart, and the
community just ends up feeling isolated from the dev team, and that
their concerns aren't being heard.

I've made two requests[1] of Walter in my time here (one big and one
small), and neither were ever responded to (by *anyone*, actually).  But
that's OK because at least I know that Walter is reading the forums.  He
usually just responds where he can to things that are important.

... or things that amuse him, but that's cool.  We all need a laugh once
in a while :)

Where was I?  Stuffed if I can remember :P

	-- Daniel

[1]: << Waves a tatty piece of cardboard with "return scoped instances"
and "set debug source file" written on it somewhat half-heartedly.  In
the rain.  With, I dunno... a blues track playing in the background, or
something. :P >>

-- 
Unlike Knuth, I have neither proven or tried the above; it may not even
make sense.

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