Re: metacity-list gnome org

[Owen Williams <ywwg usa net>]

On Mon, 2005-09-12 at 09:35 -0700, Rob Adams wrote: 
> On Mon, 2005-09-12 at 17:14 +0200, BJörn Lindqvist wrote:
> 
> > For discussing long-standing issues with Metacity. Like the
> > focus-stealing problems, the placement algorithm or the (ugh!)
> > minimize animation. :) And for asking things like how do you implement
> > X in Metacity or like "I'd like to implement this awesome feature, do
> > you think it would be a good idea or not?" It doesn't feel right to
> > open bugzilla bugs for those kinds of things. Plus, it is easy to find
> > old discussions by search mailing-list archives. Not so easy with
> > bugzilla.
> 
> The only conceivable purpose such a list could have not currently met by
> bugzilla (feel free to add comments or Cc yourself on bugs, or even
> watch the metacity-maint pseudo-user) is "harassing metacity
> contributors more publicly".
> 
> Metacity doesn't have any people who are super-regular contributors,
> since it can be rather difficult to work on metacity for 2 reasons:
> window managers are complex and arcane, but also because there is so
> much negativity that you're subjected to.  The last thing we need is to
> make it worse.
> 
> -Rob

Bugzilla often seems like a black hole.  I submitted a patch for a
feature (#151842) and got initial encouragement and suggestions, but it
quickly fell off the radar. Subsequent polite pokes via email and
bugzilla were not acknowledged.  Similarly there is a totally functional
patch (#81704) for the oft-requested "edge resistance" feature that has
never been included in the main tree.  After pestering about an updated
version Havoc posted a link to google for the search term "Stallman
'sooner if you help'", but even after a new patch was posted nothing
happened.  

Bugzilla is a good thing, but not if the maintainers seemingly ignore
it.  The solution may not be a new mailing list, but simply an increased
level of responsiveness on bugzilla.  I don't expect maintainers to
chime in on every half-baked wishlist, but when it comes to
long-requested and useful features with working patches there should be
more communication.  

owen