🚀 go-pugleaf

Uday S Reddy <uDOTsDOTreddy@cs.bham.ac.uk> writes:
> blueman wrote:
>
>>
>> Quick test shows it works!
>
> Perhaps it does.  But I already added a fix a day or two ago, tested
> it and committed to the repository on launchpad.  Unfortunately, this
> to-and-fro hasn't contributed all that much to the problem, after the
> initial discussion.  There are some 20 odd messages in this thread.  I
> don't think this mode of communication has been very effective.

Personally, I find that comment unfair. I have:
       - Identified multiple show-stopper bugs in the routine
       - Coded bug fixes
       - Suggested and discussed extensions to make it usable on
         multiple messages rather than running them together
       - Coded the extension

I have shared my code the whole way through and have accepted input from
you and Julian which ultimately made it better.

At the same time, you mention making fixes which you haven't shared here
and which I can't seem to even find on launchpad (I am looking at
http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~reddyuday/viewmail/8.1/changes) But based
upon your allusions to rewriting code and adding variables, it seems
like you may have done something more convoluted than necessary which
could have other unforseen consequences (indeed all that was necessary
was removing two words and quoting a third).

> So, for the future, let us follow the procedure that Robert had set up
> and documented in the README file.  That would be faster and easier
> for me to deal with.

May I remind you what the README says:
      
        If you have any problems or meet a bug it is best to discuss
        them on the USENET groups gnu.emacs.vm.bugs or
        gnu.emacs.vm.info!  

This is Robert's first and primary suggestion and is indeed what we are
doing now!!!! For good reason, Robert suggested this as the first course
of action since it allows everybody to see and join in the discussion as
much or as little as they please.

        Also search the groups before posting as there might have been
        some discussion and a fix before.

I even did this before posting!!!!

       In addition to discussing the problems on the newsgroups, you are
       encouraged to file a bug report using the Emacs function M-x
       vm-submit-bug-report This function formats an email report
       including the entire state of VM which can be used to diagnose
       and fix the bug.

I did this "additional encouragement" though it seems like your address
didn't accept my email without notifying me back of an error. 

Also, bug reports with long traces are good for complicated bugs where
you are asking someone else to do the work. Here I diagnosed and fixed
the bug myself so I fail to see the need for submitting all the
environment data etc. 

Finally, the bug reports don't seem to be public so that there is no way
for others to see the reports and contribute to their resolution. If you
want to set up a bugzilla site, we could have the same 20 message
back-and-forth we had on the newsgroup on a bugzilla thread.

[Steps on soapbox...]
I am plenty capable of coding everything I want or need in elisp and
have been doing so for more than 20 years. My inputs to the vm project
are sprinkled across a number of core files. I always try to give back
more in code and bug fixes than I request.

If you don't want my help in contributing further, I am happy to keep my
bug identifications, bug fixes and contributions to myself. I happen to
have spent a fair bit of time working on this and other bugs this week
and don't appreciate being publicly told that such conversations are
unhelpful. I didn't just complain about bugs or ask for help or new
features -- but went and debugged them myself and wrote the code to fix
or extend things. 

Certainly this thread would have been shorter had I taken the approach
of almost all other posters in terms of just complaining about bugs and
leaving it to others to fix. If that is what you want, I would be happy
to oblige and let you do all the work. But then don't be surprised when
you don't find others stepping up to volunteer to help you as
maintainers.

[Steps off soapbox...]

Sorry - but your note really struck me the wrong way... such comments
are usually reserved for trolls, OT threads, rants, or people who
just plain complain without contributing.

Good luck