On Mon, 2 Jul 2007 07:37:29 -0700 (PDT), Karen Stevenson <karen@elderweb.com> wrote:

I think this is starting to get somewhere :-)

I see the biggest problem is that there is nothing now between 'Feature Request' and 'Patch to be Reviewed'. In fact, it seems that you can't get much attention to a FR unless you provide a patch to be discussed, which puts the cart before the horse and probably encourages everyone to just jump in and start coding without enough support around the idea. Perhaps we need to move Feature Requests to a different system or different part of the system where you can propose a feature and have a forum for discussing in a global way whether the feature is needed and what should be included in a solution. Then, after discussion has solidified and there is agreement that it is a good idea and what direction it should take, and only then, someone creates a patch to be reviewed that is put into the issue queue. And any non-trivial core patch should be somehow be forced through that system before it will be considered.

Now, what needs to be done to create a system like that? I'm not sure.

Karen

The simpler version would be a new status "concept needs feedback" (or something like that). Indicating "please talk before I write code so that I can write code." For most non-trivial changes that's probably a good idea anyway (design first!), and would be an explicit flag for subsystem experts (formal or informal) as well as committers to jump in and nip a dumb idea in the bud, correct a design flaw before it gets codified, or indicate that they think something is a really good idea. And it keeps it on-site rather than on people's blogs. :-) It could eve have its own custom link (like the "patches needing review" link) so people can see what's being discussed at-a-glance. --Larry Garfield