Bug Reporting Etiquette

Jamie Zawinski writes "Mozilla.org has a new article on Bugzilla Etiquette. Relevant to more than just Bugzilla, this should be required reading for anyone who wants to file a bug about any product, no matter what bug tracking system is in use. I especially like the mention that "'Open Source' is not the same as 'the developers must do my bidding.'"" Update: 03/19 21:26 GMT by T : If that link doesn't work for you without cutting and pasting, reader Stephen Ostermiller suggests "you might want to use this link which appears to be the same document mirrored elsewhere."

Comments

RTFM

[FortKnox]

Amazing. A post to what's basically a "RTFM" to anyone submitting a bug.

Doing this simply creates intimidation. What if some newbie found an integral bug, gets a "RTFM" and is too intimidated to report the bug?
Anyone who has been assailed by "RTFM" in chat rooms can understand where I'm coming from.

Honestly, if open source takes over, the gripe will go from MS to RTFM. Its something that should be addressed now instead of later.

Re:RTFM

[FortKnox]

Being someone that has worked on both sides of the fence, you'd be truely surprised at how a newbie can find crashing and other bugs simply because people haven't thought to do something (because they've been doing it their 'normal' way for so long).

Re:RTFM

[WNight]

Honestly, if open source takes over, the gripe will go from MS to RTFM. Its something that should be addressed now instead of later.

Okay. RTFM.

If you buy Microsoft's software, they're obligated to listen to you bitch about its problems. If you download something I offer for free, I'm not obligated to you in the slightest.

If you can say something both coherent and polite, I'll listen. I do want my software to be better, but I'm not going to be abused by you in the process.

Why do you think people are entitled to anything else? I've very rarely seen people told to RTFM for asking a polite question. They almost always get pointed to docs. If they fail to read those, they get told off, but what else do you expect when you rudely demand someone walk you step by step through something you aren't willing to read a help file for?

It's no different in any other circumstance. Ask for directions in a mall and you'll get pointed to the map. If you ignore the map and ask something it would answer, expect to be ignored. Nobody has respect for whiners who demand that other people solve their problems for them.

It's not a RTFM though

[xactoguy]

It isn't that at all, though... all they are asking for are some very simple things, things that a newbie would probably do anyway. They are just asking that you don't put pointless comments, that you don't feel that the bug HAS to be fixed, and that you don't abuse or troll in the bug post. Most newbies would probably follow that pretty good on their own already... this is probably more aimed at those who have been around for a little bit, and have posted aimless comments, or have lost sight of the fact that the developers don't have to fix their bug immediately.