David Gerard wrote:
2009/4/12 James McKenzie jjmckenzie51@earthlink.net:
Bugzilla should request an application name and AppDB entry number.
Demanding an appID number will certainly keep the bug reports down, though at the expense of bug reporting.
The idea is that not all users look into Bugzilla to see if there is a problem and a workaround. They sometimes look into the Applications Database. If we link bugs to applications this makes it easier and then if we link bug status back to the applications database that lets folks know the status of a bug and if it is fixed or not (there are such things as regressions.)
I can't see making bug reports arbitrarily more difficult as a good way for devs to get an idea of what's broken.
I understand your concern. I like bug reports, I just don't like bug reports in a vacuum. If we can get some of the functionality of an automatic Bugzilla to Applications Database linker in place this would make it much easier to avoid (not prevent) duplicate reports and for bug reports to have application entries and the other way round. I really would like to see a bug report for each garbage entry in the Applications Database with associated terminal output and such. This might give developers a push to fix a problem or implement code based upon the number of related problem reports and affected programs. For example, if only three people report the same bug on the same program would it make more sense to work on a problem that has fifty reports/votes and it affects a dozen programs.
Of course, implementing the linker may be a project in itself.
James McKenzie