Re: Our use of the "fixed" tag in debbugs

[Stefan Kangas]

Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:

>> Currently, bugs are unfortunately just left open and untagged, which
>> means that it can take a long time before someone goes back, tediously
>> re-reads everything, and then closes it.  Using this tag more often
>> could save quite a bit of time, I hope.
>
> Tagging is tedious: you need to BCC the control address, you need to
> type the line without making a mistake, etc.  It's so much easier to
> just close the bug.

Indeed, it's a hassle.  Perhaps it would help to have a command for this
in `message-mode' much like `debbugs-gnu-make-control-message'?  Or
perhaps such a thing already exist?

> I'm not sure I understand what will tagging as "fixed" without closing
> will gain us, can you explain?

Tagging is not better than closing.  It is an alternative, if we don't
yet feel confident enough to close it.

Like Glenn, I would urge people to close bugs as well.  Don't think
twice, just do it.  We have thirty days to change our mind before it is
archived.

I have closed many, many dozens of bugs where the only remaining step
was to close it.  It takes extra time after the fact, since you have to
re-read potentially very long threads, scour our git log to see if this
or that patch was applied, and so on.  And the risk of losing track of
any important information pales in comparison to the effort it takes to
go back and close bugs.  It's not a very effective use of our resources.

Of course, some people will go write Reddit or HN threads about how we
are all horrible people, but that's just par for the course.

> As for closing, as long as people start arguing with us why did we
> close without resolving the way they thought we should, I will leave
> bugs open, because I don't have enough time for these arguments.

I feel your pain.  I'm not sure that there are any easy solutions to
frivolous follow-ups, besides answering very briefly or not at all.

OTOH, this is exactly where adding a tag could be easier; and helps
someone like me to find and close it later.