Fwd: Collecting feature requests

[Ethan Blanton]

Casey Ho spake unto us the following wisdom:
> >> We don't let patch writers commit their patches to our source code to
> >> our monotone server without discussion and review.  Again, most of our
> >> developers don't even undertake major changes without running it by as
> >> many people as possible for consensus.  I would really appreciate
> >> discussing things like this BEFORE implementation so we can have these
> >> discussions amongst both users and developers like we're doing now after
> >> the fact.
> >
> > Yes, please!
> 
> I apologize if that's the impression.

It is.  It is shared by, as best I can tell, a majority of the
developers.  There must be a miscommunication somewhere.

> I say that because I've gotten feedback on a lot of things (primarily
> via IRC), and some things passed and others didn't.  Brainstorm was
> one of the things that did relatively well.

I don't want to get into a he-said she-said here, but ... think about,
for a moment, with *whom* it did relatively well.  If
SexyGrrlIMUser432 said it was a great idea, we don't care.  If kstange
said it was a great idea (he didn't), or rekkanoryo (he didn't), or
myself (I didn't), or lschiere (he didn't), or deryni (he didn't)
(seeing a pattern?), then that does mean it was cleared, first.  Now,
maybe there's a hitherto silent developer who said "boy, I think
that's a great idea!" on this topic, in which case, great -- but the a
posteriori analysis certainly seems to me to indicate that we aren't
too impressed.

Now, take this with a grain of salt -- I'm 10 time zones away from
home, and only checking in irregularly.

> Most things I've done have been looked at by other devs and have had
> feedback (not on devel).  Some were actually requested by devs.  Of
> course, the ultimate responsibility is mine, and if I've
> pissed/confused you, then you can tell me privately.

I think the idea of what you're doing is well-received, it's just some
of the specifics which are causing angst.  Incorrect statements on the
web site, ugly Windows screen shots, drupal, etc.  Perhaps if you join
devel at cpi and make sure you run nontrivial changes by at least Kevin
(as the web interface is nominally his responsibility, for now) and
preferably others, this frustration can be avoided in the future.  I,
at least, am continually surprised when the same issues come to my
attention more than once, which indicates that the feedback loop is
broken somewhere.  Mistakes happen, differences of opinion happen,
that's all fine; we're not all on the same page, though, and they're
going to *keep* happening until we are.  :-)

As to private feedback, if you want private feedback, put up a private
site and ask for comments -- if something hits www.pidgin.im it's just
about guaranteed to generate public feedback.  :-P

Ethan

-- 
The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws [that have no remedy
for evils].  They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor
determined to commit crimes.
		-- Cesare Beccaria, "On Crimes and Punishments", 1764
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