[Freeciv-Dev] Re: Submit patch again?

[Reinier Post <rp@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, Aug 15, 2001 at 02:02:48PM +0200, Karl-Ingo Friese wrote:
> I think this might be a quite healthy discussion. Hopefuly it
> will bring up something good.

I hope the problem is to find a better procedure.  If the problem is
manpower, I don't know how to address that.

> For sure. Thue did very much for the freeciv project and I think
> no one questioned that. Or to speak only for myself: I never did.
> However, I described my personal feelings when I submitted
> ideas or code to the mailing list.

Yes, I have the same feeling very time I see a patch, but the only
patches I actually look at are those that are in "my" area of the code,
which is very small.

> > In the Freeciv project, there are no 10 others.  It's hard enough to
> > find 10 people with patches.
> 
> Its hard enough because there is no feedback. The only few times
> I got encouraging and positive response yet were from active players
> - not from active freeciv developers. But no, thats not true. The
> new player dialog would not have been possible without the help of
> Vasco (thanX again).

Doesn't this suggest that there simply aren't enough developers?
 
> > OK, this process could be streamlined by adding some web forms and better
> > database support.  But the basic problem is: not enough people are willing
> > to look at somebody else's code.  Am I wrong?
> 
> No ... I think the basic problem is that there is to less "hey, thats
> a cool idea" or "this is already on our to do list but a little different
> then the way you implemented it, look at section 3.1" or "I did
> not like the idea because of xy" feedback. One of the reasons thatfor
> might be that most freeciv developers/maintainers dont actively play
> the game anymore.

This may well be.  Freeciv games take hours to play.  It would also help
if patches were published with example savegames to demonstrate their
features.

Another problem is that patches get lost or outdated too easily.
We can streamline the submission and use of patches, by maintaining
a table of patches on the website that authors can just submit to.
We can even make a system where users could request a copy of the
source code with patches pre-applied on the server.  We can add
a feedback form that patch testers can fill in.  We can add HTTP
post forms to 'Submit a comment' to the client!  Would this help?

> > I can be a reviewer for a small part of the code base.  I'm also willing
> > to help set up some web/database support.
> 
> Sounds good! How about bringing some of the most active players into the
> "official maintainer team" as well? Just for their point of view?

What do you want to do, spam civserver.freeciv.org with requests for
support?  (Easy to add.)

> Ingo

-- 
Reinier