[maemo-developers] Testing nonsense

[From: ds]

I am quite unhappy with the testing, too.

My package vncviewer has a blocking issue (Bugtracker field), which
should be marked on the package page!

http://maemo.org/packages/package_instance/view/fremantle_extras-testing_free_armel/vncviewer/0.6.3-fremantle2

Not every developer is following the dev-list all the time. To me it is
not transparent, how to get into extras now. If I get ten thumb ups,
because no tester checked bugtracker it gets in?

Now I prepared a changed debian/control file, but if I upload to testing
I loose my 9 thumb ups. It is quite complicated for a developer to test
this application, as he needs a vnc server to access. Probably this is
the reason, why it takes a lot of time.

On the other hand it is totally to transparent, what is tested.

An other problem are security issues: How do you think a tester could
find a security issue in such an application? It is totaly impossible,
if you do not have access to a prepared vnc server. Should we assume the
vnc server to be prepared? Should we warn a user that prepared vnc
servers are not tested, so only use thrusted ones, or ...

I have the feeling, that the process is quite slow, without being much
better than having less testers. 

OK, enough for now:-)

Am Dienstag, den 03.11.2009, 17:32 +0200 schrieb Henrik Hedberg: 
> Till Harbaum wrote:
> 
> > there's another problem with the testing i am facing with gpxview: Nonsense ratings.
> > GPXView got a "thumbs down" for needing lots of porting to match the maemo6 gui.
> > Yes, harmattan! Why the heck should a fremantle program not be forwarded to 
> > extras due to the fact that it will be hard to port it to qt (which is what that guy
> > is imho trying to say)?
> > 
> > I am considering to entirely ignore the test process until this testing/promotion thing 
> > has actually proven to be useful. Dealing with people that just rate nonsense issues is 
> > a) a waste of time and b) frustrating. 
> 
>     In addition, testers - whether they rate nonsense issues or not - 
> even get positive karma! It feels little unfair. I really would like to 
> see a discussion about the responsibilities and ethics of a tester, and 
> possible procedures to make sure that a tester is behaving as expected.
> 
>     BR,
> 
>     Henrik
>