[Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

Many developers feel they are suffering from the quality assurance process being used on maemo.org to ensure that high quality applications get into the Extras repository (which is enabled by default on all Maemo 5 devices).

Currently, a package must wait 10 days and get 10 votes before being promotable. This isn't too onerous for popular applications, with lots of testers, but for less popular - or niche - applications, it can become an almost insurmountable problem.

The Testing Squad is a group who commit to try and test as much as possible - and this has helped. However, there is now a new feature we can use on the testing queue.

A package which has been in the QA queue for 20 days without the requisite votes can be "swayed" by 3 votes from super testers. Testers will be shown as (tester), just like maintainers are visible now. So this process will be transparent to the maintainer too.

We now need volunteers!

If you'd like to be a super tester - and be involved as a final gatekeeper to Extras, please get in touch. Either email the council or reply to this post.

We're currently looking for about ten spots, the council - and the Testing Squad - will review the volunteers based on a number of factors, and we'll make a decision as a group.



Link: Original article.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

I could help.

But then again I'm not particularly stressful on apps, so perhaps my help won't be much.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

Count me in. :)

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

count me in also, im all for testing random apps :)

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

Add me to the list. :)

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

Add me to the list. Would love to be a part of this project.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

I am up for this. spend ages on my phone so may aswell be doing something usefull....

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

I would love this opertunity to become a more important member of this comunity. I am from a software enginnering background and feel i have skills that could be of use.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

count me in as well. Have QA background.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

i am in, i am a CS grad

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

Count me in :) I work in a voip company, so I will install anything telefony related anyways.
Also, I'm a developer, so I know how to create actually useful bug reports when needed ;)

(I've got my n900 only the last couple of weeks now, so didn't have much chance to do reviews / testing yet)

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

I would like to help - the question is what knowledge do i have to have to do it.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

I'd be happy to help with this, i'm already an active member of the testing squad and doing QA on most software that hits -testing as it is.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

i can be one if there are no better choices available.

imo these super testers should have a lot background from packagetesting..... I've seen so ridiculous votes and lack of bigger picture that this gives me shivers if wrong people are selected....

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

Agreed. Enthusiasm's great, but I'd've thought the people selected would be able to point to sound judgment, previous votes for packages in the QA queue and perhaps even some involvement in the Testing Squad.

It's important for people to remember that this is a last line of defence and ANYONE can start testing and checking packages in the QA queue:

http://wiki.maemo.org/Extras-testing

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

Hey,

I'd like to join in, seeing as I'm always on my phone... so, yeah, count me in!

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

I can't become a super tester because I don't have much time and because I don't speak English well, but I wanted to refresh this thread ... Perhaps others might be interested.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

Count me in if you still yet to have 10 testers selected.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

Regardless who you choose please make sure they know what they're doing :D I dont think enthusiasm alone can do much testing experience is exactly whats important here :)

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

Hi, I agree with you ... Surely the council is able to evaluate new tester ... But we must take into account the fact that there are currently almost 200 applications in extras-testing. Some could be released or be removed, but the others?
To reduce the QA queue, at least I would suggest that there is a new Testing Squad. How long is that not done? It seems to me that from April 2010.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

I see that there are packages stagnating with one or two super testers votes.

I would suggest that only one super tester vote should be needed to promote to extras as these people are supposed to be doing a real testing process, not like the rest of us ;)

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

i wanna be a tester too. I'm here to help your work and i have much time to waste for those things..

;) i'm not a newbie this can help u to understand that i can resolve common problems during the test by myself notepading :D u what i ve done

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

I think it might be worthwhile thinking about how to improve the testing criteria / requirements. Currently it is somewhat feasible to reach the required package karma of at least 10, but the problematic part is to get the required minimum of three votes by someone from the testers group. Also, as it takes such a long time to get the needed votes, and if a new package version is pushed into extras-testing, the voting process has to be started from scratch again.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

You misunderstand the current process. The requirement to be unlocked is one of the following being met:

1. 10 days and a net voting of 10 or more users.
2. 20 days and a net voting of 3 or more super-testers.

Anyone can contribute to unlocking by being in the first group.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

Thanks for the clarification, in this case the requirements are sensible.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

I would also propose a role as "Super Mantainer".

They should be people with good background in Debian packaging, no need to be programmers, but also being a super tester would be appreciated.

They could promote packages already tested but orphaned from their original developers.

They should be able to fix any minor problems in packages without the need of permission from maintainers. Things such as

- Not proper package description.
- Incorrect section. Very usual with theme packages in section System.
- Lack of icon.
- Dependency problems.

This way I can think in a good bunch of packages that could be promoted easily.

It would also be a good way of polishing packages.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

Great minds think alike(ish). Within this story, I posted:

However, to your proposal, which was more focused on maintainer packagers, rather than developer packagers:

It's an interesting idea. Historically, we've not had much separation between developers and maintainers; and someone can take ownership of a package which has been abandonned (to upload a version with the fixes above).

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

Actually, I think that we have a lot of unpolished packages, precisely because developers/designers are not good at packaging or even don't care at all.

There is also a growing number of applications and scripts that haven't landed in Extras and are floating around in Media Fire accounts or attached to posts in TMO that could worth this packaging effort.

Re: [Council] "Super" testers required to clear up Extras backlog
 

These don't need any process changes, though - just someone willing to pick them up. Do you think it's worth some kind of central place for people to ask for help?

Certainly through MWKN we try and point people to packaging if the person asks for help as part of an announcement, e.g. http://www.mwkn.net/2011/01/announce.html#announce-7