Bug triage

[Willie Walker <William Walker Sun COM>]

Hi All:

The current list of bugs with the 'accessibility' keyword can be found 
via the following search (this is the same link under the "Help Fix 
Bugs" header on http://live.gnome.org/Accessibility/GetInvolved):

<http://bugzilla.gnome.org/buglist.cgi?query_format=advanced&short_desc_type=allwordssubstr&short_desc=&long_desc_type=substring&long_desc=&status_whiteboard_type=allwordssubstr&status_whiteboard=&keywords_type=allwords&keywords=accessibility&bug_status=UNCONFIRMED&bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_status=REOPENED&bug_status=NEEDINFO&emailassigned_to1=1&emailtype1=substring&email1=&emailassigned_to2=1&emailreporter2=1&emailqa_contact2=1&emailcc2=1&emailtype2=substring&email2=&bugidtype=include&bug_id=&chfieldfrom=&chfieldto=Now&chfieldvalue=&field0-0-0=noop&type0-0-0=noop&value0-0-0=&query_based_on=&order=bugs.priority,bugs.bug_severity,bugs.bug_id&query_based_on=>

Omitting the Orca bugs, which the Orca team constantly triages, there 
are 381 bugs that we need help with.  What I think we need to do are:

1) Verify the bugs still exist -- some may be obsolete at this point. 
If the bugs still exist, help make sure there is a clear test case for 
reproducing the bug.  Developers like clear test cases - the lack of 
clear test cases is sometimes the reason bugs languish for so long.

2) Helping to identify the ones that would have the most impact if 
fixed.  Ideally the priority 
(http://bugzilla.gnome.org/page.cgi?id=bug-status.html#priority) and 
severity 
(http://bugzilla.gnome.org/page.cgi?id=bug-status.html#bug_severity) 
fields would help make this list somewhat self sorting.  When changing 
priority and severity, I read the definitions for the various values and 
then I tend to provide a reason for why I made a change.  For example, I 
might say "marking this bug as Major because not being able to access 
the main window is a major loss of functionality that makes this 
application difficult/useless to use by people with disabilities" or 
"marking this as minor, because even if the given button doesn't work, 
accessing the same functionality via a menu item provides a reasonable 
and efficient workaround." I also try not to "cry wolf" or take some 
stance such as "all a11y bugs are immediate blockers".  Be true to the 
meanings provided and the really important problems will bubble up.

I also tend to view the priority and severity as applying to just the 
product in question.  That is, what is the priority/severity of this bug 
on just the product, not the whole of GNOME?  I'm not sure that's the 
right way to do things -- if it's wrong, someone please correct me.  :-)

Any takers to help with triaging?

Will