Re: regression tracking (Re: Linux 2.6.21)

Adrian Bunk
2007-06-17T00:44:31Z

On Sat, Jun 16, 2007 at 02:23:25PM +0200, Stefan Richter wrote:
>...
> [Adrian, I'm not saying "too few users run -rc kernels", I'm saying "too
> few FireWire driver users run -rc kernels".]

Getting more people testing -rc kernels might be possible, and I don't
think it would be too hard. And not only FireWire would benefit from
this, remember e.g. that at least 2 out of the last 5 kernels Linus
released contained filesystem corruption regressions.

The problem is that we aren't able to handle the many regression reports
we get today, so asking for more testing and regression reports today
would attack it at the wrong part of the chain.

Additionally, every reported and unhandled regression will frustrate the
reporter - never forget that we have _many_ unhandled bug reports
(including but not limited to regression reports) where the submitter
spent much time and energy in writing a good bug report.

If we somehow gain the missing manpower for debugging regressions we can
actively ask for more testing. Missing manpower (of people knowing some
part of the kernel well) for debugging bug reports is IMHO the one big
source of quality problems in the Linux kernel. If we get this solved,
things like getting more testers for -rc kernels will become low hanging
fruits.

> Stefan Richter

cu
Adrian

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"Only a promise," Lao Er said.
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