[maemo-developers] How to use extras-testing correctly?

[From: tero.kojo at nokia.com]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: maemo-developers-bounces at maemo.org 
> [mailto:maemo-developers-bounces at maemo.org] On Behalf Of ext 
> Aniello Del Sorbo
> Sent: 24 September, 2009 12:20
> To: Gil Quim (Nokia-D/Helsinki)
> Cc: maemo-developers at maemo.org
> Subject: Re: How to use extras-testing correctly?
> 
> I personally think we're taking a wrong approach to the problem.
> 
> I am not developing for  Apple because of their approval 
> process and their desire of control.

That is a different matter alltogether. One device, one shop, complete control. That has very little to do with a community site like maemo.org and a deevice using debian repositories.

> I don't want my application to go through an approval process 
> to reach my users.

No one is forcing you to place your app in extras. However it is the place most likely to be found by new users.
Maemo Extras should be of high quality because we will have completely new users to the platform. We don't want to scare them away, simple as that.

> I think that the developer HAS the last work on whether or 
> not her application is ready to be promoted to Extras.

The developer has the last word; just don't promote from testing.

> But I like the idea of my application being tested and I'd 
> love to get feedback from the final users.
> Android has a nice approach, I think the application goes 
> straight to Market and when a user removes it, she's being asked why.

I don't think so, please provide a reference.

> I learned that the extremes are almost never the best choice.
> Thus, I would like to see is a mix of Apple idea of "testers" 
> and Google Android "uninstallation survey".
> 
> Here's my proposal:
> 
> We leave Extras-Testing as it is, with votes, comments, bug 
> reports an so on (or improve it, as you wish).
> But then it's only the developer that decides, based on that 
> feedback, if or not to promote the application to Extras.

Which is how it works, except you need ten thumbs up.

> When the application gets promoted to Extras, people will 
> start using it.

Yes, extras-testing for testing, -devel for development, extras for prime time.

> If there's a major bug, the user will uninstall the application.

Certainly.

> The Application Manager should ask the user, as Android 
> Market does, WHY she uninstalling the application.
> Of course she may choose not to give any feedback.
> One of the choice she has is "Uninstalling because of a bug" 
> and she can fill in the bug if she wish so.
> 
> This bug goes straight to bugzilla for that application and 
> we should count them and decide on two limits: a soft 
> threshold and a hard one.
> 
> Soft threshold:
> if the application goes below this soft limit a yellow flag 
> is raised (how to handle it, it's another topic).
> 
> Hard threshold:
> if the application goes below this hard limit a red flag is 
> raised and application pulled from Extras.

Look, if you want to remove stuff, it's better to do it early than late. The assumption is that someone will submit bad code, then the better option is to take it out before it hits peoples devices. Not after it's gotten to the public.

> This way the Developer has full control of when and how she 
> wants her application to reach the public.
> The Community has some control of which applications should 
> be removed.

Which is there already. When you get the ten votes on testing, you get notified and can choose to ignore it or promote when you feel like it.

> A good application with a good developer stays there.
> A good application with a slow developer might get a yellow 
> flag and developer may feel pushed more to fix bugs A good 
> application with a bad developer might become buggy over 
> time, outdated and gets pulled out A bad application with a 
> good developer has a better chance to become a good one A bad 
> application with a slow developer has its life on the edge of 
> a razor.. be ware A bad application with a bad developer is 
> dead and not in Extras.
> 
> Aniello
> 
> 2009/9/24 Quim Gil <quim.gil at nokia.com>:
> >
> >
> > ext Fred Lefévère-Laoide wrote:
> >> I know you can't force people to vote or test ... But it 
> means that 
> >> if an app has a very limited public it doesn't get out of 
> extras-testing ?
> >
> > This is a very good point. I believe it won't be an issue 
> once there 
> > are more people with devices able to vote, but still.
> >
> > Something that would help is to have a strict chronological 
> sorting at 
> > 
> http://maemo.org/packages/repository/qa/fremantle_extras-testing_free_
> > armel/ so oldest submissions are always on top. And 
> encourage people 
> > to help kicking the apps on the top even if they don't use it 
> > normally. At the end it's not that hard to give an app a 
> shot and look 
> > whether the basic QA factors are in place.
> >
> > I believe after the N900 sales start there will be also a 
> > sustainability approach for the applications not used by many.
> >
> > Some will be highly specialized with a small but committed audience 
> > that will help testing and ranking. If a bug goes through 
> they will be 
> > the ones suffering it first.  :)
> >
> > Some will be just starting and have a real small audience. 
> But well, 
> > in such cases a bug going through won't cause much harm either. In 
> > most cases as the audience grows the less obvious bugs will 
> pop up and 
> > then the developer will need to respond with newer and better 
> > versions. If major bugs are standing without fixes and the users of 
> > the app increase, then the relevance of the bug will 
> increase as well 
> > and it might imply at some point the demotion back to 
> extras-testing.
> >
> >
> > --
> > Quim Gil
> > open source advocate
> > Maemo Devices @ Nokia
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > maemo-developers mailing list
> > maemo-developers at maemo.org
> > https://lists.maemo.org/mailman/listinfo/maemo-developers
> >
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> --
> anidel
> Sent from London, Eng, United Kingdom
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