Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Re: The bugfixing contest

[Tom Lord]

    > From: address@hidden (James Blackwell)

    > > Why dangerous?  Uh.... the politics of labor generally and,
    > > specifically, the implied opportunities to "game" this reward system
    > > to somebody else's detriment.

    > Ohhhhh. That's what you mean. Yeah. I was in a talk this morning that
    > covered that. There's risks that somebody might find a bug in rc1, and
    > remain silent until rc2 comes out.*

That's the risk to the project itself (i.e., to the quality of the
series of arch releases, interpreted just as a set of tar bundles).

There is also a risk that the project or its contributors will abuse
some of the volunteers (e.g., by misleading them, by extracting labor
from them under false pretenses, etc.).  I.e., a risk to the quality
of the project as a part of the community.

The second one is (by far) my greater concern.


    > If we assume that the average number of regressions holds (something
    > that I'm dead set against happening), then they're looking at an income
    > of $30-$90 a month depending upon their participation. That's not enough
    > for an income. :)

Perfect.

    > However, I think that people are generally honest, and are going to play
    > the game for the sake of it. I'm betting that there's a sufficient 
    > number of good people to outnumber the weasels.

At these money levels?  I agree.  It's just a fun game.  Somebody
"owes somebody a beer" --- but for real!

    > Besides, if somebody does that as a habit, then we'll all be able to see
    > the pattern, and a community trouncing would soon ensue. :) 

It'd be tricky (not impossible) to scale.

-t