[drupal-devel] Let's accept more interim solutions

[Nedjo Rogers]

>> In sum: early in the cycle - now! - is the time to be clearing the deck,
>> applying any patch that has has obvious support, has addressed any major
>> issues (leaving aside minor details or small remaining discussions) and
>> applies without raising
>> errors.
> 
> 
> Who said this differently? It is just a matter of defining what 
> constitutes "minor details".
> 
> Goba

You're right, but arguing abstractly over what issues are "major" or 
"minor" is likely to lead nowhere fast.  Likely we'd do better to focus 
on outcomes: what are we trying to achieve?

I see the task as similar to getting ready for a release--we all work 
together on a common goal.  For a release, it's identifying and fixing 
issues in the already-applied code.  In this case - clearing the patch 
queue, getting many of those great changes and enhancements in - it's 
doing any remaining basic testing and fixing up of generally proven 
patches to make sure there aren't any glaring issues preventing application.

We can judge by the question: did we clear the queue?

A process might look like this:

* We establish a goal: e.g., within two months of opening of HEAD, we 
apply or turn down 80 to 90 percent of patches that are two months or 
more old (and apply some promising newer ones as well).

* At opening of HEAD, we (e.g., a set of volunteers) review the patch 
list and identify priority patches to be worked through quickly.

* Patches from this list are applied if (a) one skilled developer (other 
than the primary submitter!) affirms successful testing and (b) a week 
has passed without new problems being identified.

Obviously I'm just throwing these details out as ideas.

As I write there are 107 core patches in the queue.  This includes many 
that no longer apply, but by the same token some others that don't apply 
have been been reset to active (so the total list of patches outstanding 
is larger than 107).

Of the subset that are promising, reasonably well reviewed, and have 
been more than two months in the queue: can we get most of them applied 
(or turned down) before they have to wait another whole development cycle?