[maemo-developers] Quality Assurance and Extras-testing discussion on IRC

[From: Graham Cobb]

On Wed, Nov 04, 2009 at 05:36:26PM +0000, Andrew Flegg wrote:
> I won't be able to make this as I will be onsite at a client, however
> my views can be summarised as:
> 
>    * QA is good.
>    * The criteria are a good start, but need tweaks (see thread)
>    * The packages UI needs some streamlining for testers.
>    * As a tester, a better reminder of the checklist when checking
>      would be good. I also like the ease with which I can give feedback.
>    * As a developer, I don't *think* I want to be constrained with
>      "release early, release often" when fixing bugs or introducing new
>      small features (i.e. karma resets to zero).

Unfortunately I also am unable to make it -- I am travelling at the moment
(and for another couple of weeks).

My views are generally in line with Andrew's except I would add the point
that I think this process has to be focused on preventing serious issues
from escaping, not on wider quality issues such as whether applications are usable, pretty,
etc.  We have a user rating system to allow the good applications to rise
above the poor ones -- that is not the purpose of **this** process.  Reporting
all bugs found is great.  But only "dangerous" issues should cause
blockages.  Those could include issues such as poor quality descriptions (or
upgrade-descriptions) because they may mislead or confuse people into
installing the application.  But they don't include UX issues except ones
which "break" things (for example, an unresponsive screen).

We have to be aware that every thumbs-down is a message that we are rejecting
the application.  We need to be able to point to clear rules which are
violated whenever that occurs. To be honest that already causes me some discomfort
with the "illegal or immoral" rule -- those are both judged differently in
different places, at diferent times and within different communities.

> 
> I'm happy, from what I've seen in the discussion to date, that people
> share enough views with me that I don't need to be there :-)

I hope some of them can make it!

Sorry I can't be there.

Graham