[Koha-devel] Bug tracking for 2.3/2.4

[MJ Ray]

I'm just out of the bug squash party in #koha and we got tripped
up a little by some problems, with bugs.koha.org becoming
unreachable at one point and sorting bugs in random order in
the display. How should we handle this?

Options:
1. Upgrade/bugfix bugzilla
2. Move to something else
  2a Sourceforge
  2b RT
  2c Mantis
  2d Something else
3. Something else

Please say which of the above you like and what "something else"
if that's your option. My analysis of them, with links, is below.

The summary: If katipo are willing to upgrade/bugfix bugzilla
and we can remove the "must register" limit, I think that's best
for 2.4, unless there's a brilliant solution that I don't know?


1. Upgrade bugzilla

Hopefully, the kind people at katipo are happy to continue
hosting bugzilla. It looks like there's some new versions
out, according to http://www.bugzilla.org/ which may help
solve some of the bugs.

It looks like bugzilla can already do most of what we need
and it's more a case of learning how to use it. For example,
today's problems with sorting and connections could have been
minimised by taking a static copy of the "Long Format" bug list
before the meeting.  If the problems with connecting are due
to ISPs, they're probably going to be a risk whatever we do.

That said, there are some things which seem to be difficult
to do even with the latest bugzilla. Every bugzilla I've seen
requires people to register in order to report bugs and I
can't see how we can support a koha-bugs summary email now,
nor email commands.

There are 5 open bugs for bugs.koha.org - is Chris willing
to fix these? (I guess we mortal developers can't fix them
alone... :-/ )


2. Move to something else

For 2.4, we could use a different bug tracker. What?

  2a Sourceforge http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=16466

+ It works, we already have one and it's familiar to many.
+ Users don't have to register to submit bugs.
- Email notices only.
- It's the same single point of failure as koha CVS.

  2b RT http://www.bestpractical.com/rt/

+ It's probably the closest perl-based competitor to Bugzilla.
+ Users don't have to register to submit bugs.
+ Email commands possible.
- Last place I know that tried to install it claimed it was too complex.

  2c Mantis http://www.mantisbt.org/

+ Actively developed, originally by a small team for their own use.
+ Users don't have to register to submit bugs.
- Email notices only
- PHP/MySQL (different tech to koha, if nothing else)

  2d Something else

3. Something else

Make suggestions, please...


-- 
MJ Ray (slef), K. Lynn, England, email see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/
http://www.ttllp.co.uk/koha/