diff --git a/en_US.ISO8859-1/articles/problem-reports/article.sgml b/en_US.ISO8859-1/articles/problem-reports/article.sgml index 0ee44feb21..6c6595970c 100644 --- a/en_US.ISO8859-1/articles/problem-reports/article.sgml +++ b/en_US.ISO8859-1/articles/problem-reports/article.sgml @@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ FreeBSD Entities//EN"> %freebsd; One of the most frustrating experiences one can have as a software user is to submit a problem report only to have it summarily closed with a terse and unhelpful explanation like - "not a bug" or "bogus PR". Similarily, one of the most + "not a bug" or "bogus PR". Similarly, one of the most frustrating experiences as a software developer is to be flooded - with problem reports that aren't really problem reports but + with problem reports that are not really problem reports but requests for support, or that contain little or no information about what the problem is and how to reproduce it. @@ -74,10 +74,10 @@ FreeBSD Entities//EN"> %freebsd; course of action, and will only serve to frustrate you and the developers. Conversely, there are cases where it might be appropriate to submit a problem report about something else than - a bug - an enhancement or a feature request, for + a bug — an enhancement or a feature request, for instance. - So how do you determine what's a bug and what isn't? As a + So how do you determine what's a bug and what is not? As a simple rule of thumb your problem is not a bug if it can be expressed as a question (usually of the form "How do I do X?" or "Where can I find Y?"). It's not always @@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ FreeBSD Entities//EN"> %freebsd; good idea to air these on the mailing lists before submitting a problem report. + Notification of updates to externally maintained software (mainly ports, but also externally maintained base @@ -133,19 +134,23 @@ FreeBSD Entities//EN"> %freebsd; The FAQ. + - The mailing lists - if you're not subscribed, use the - searchable archives on the FreeBSD web site. If your + The mailing lists — if you're not subscribed, use + the searchable archives on the FreeBSD web site. If your problem hasn't been discussed on the lists, you might try posting a message about it and waiting a few days to see if someone can spot something you've overlooked. + - Optionally, the entire web - use your favorite search - engine to locate any references to your problem. You may - even get hits from archived mailing lists or newsgroups you - didn't know of or hadn't thought to search through. + Optionally, the entire web — use your favorite + search engine to locate any references to your problem. You + may even get hits from archived mailing lists or newsgroups + you didn't know of or hadn't thought to search + through. + Finally, the FreeBSD PR database. Unless your problem is recent or obscure, there's a fair chance it's already @@ -236,32 +241,39 @@ FreeBSD Entities//EN"> %freebsd; The default value of current-users is correct, even if you run FreeBSD-STABLE. + Originator: This is normally prefilled with the gecos field of the currently logged-in user. Please specify your real name, optionally followed by your email address in angle brackets. + Organization: Whatever you feel like. This field is not used for anything significant. + Confidential: This is prefilled to no; changing it makes no sense as - there is no such thing as a confidential FreeBSD PR - the - PR database is distributed worldwide by CVSup. + there is no such thing as a confidential FreeBSD PR + — the PR database is distributed worldwide by + CVSup. + Synopsis: Fill this out with a short and accurate description of the problem. The synopsis is used as the subject of the PR email, and is used in PR listings and summaries; problem reports with obscure synopses tend to get ignored. + If your problem report includes a patch, please have the synopsis start with [PATCH]. + Severity: One of non-critical, @@ -271,13 +283,15 @@ FreeBSD Entities//EN"> %freebsd; unless it really is (e.g. root exploit, easily reproducible panic). Developers tend to ignore this and the next field, precisely because PR submitters tend to - overrate theie problems. + overrate their problems. + Priority: One of low, medium or high. See above. + Category: Choose one of the following: @@ -286,74 +300,91 @@ FreeBSD Entities//EN"> %freebsd; advocacy: problems relating to FreeBSD's public image. Rarely used. + alpha: problems specific to the Alpha platform. + bin: problems with userland programs in the base system. + conf: problems with configuration files, default values etc. + docs: problems with man pages or on-line documentation. + gnu: problems with GNU software such as &man.gcc.1; or &man.grep.1;. + i386: problems specific to the i386 platform. + kern: problems with kernel. + misc: anything that doesn't fit in any of the other categories. + ports: problems relating to the ports tree. + sparc: problems specific to the Sparc platform. + Class: Choose one of the following: + - sw-bug: software bugs.. + sw-bug: software bugs. + doc-bug: errors in documentation. + change-request: requests for additional features or changes in existing features. + update: updates to ports or other contributed software. + maintainer-update: updates to ports for which you are the maintainer. + Release: The version of FreeBSD that you are running. This is filled out automatically by @@ -373,11 +404,12 @@ FreeBSD Entities//EN"> %freebsd; operating system version, the version of the specific program or file that contains the problem, and any other relevant items such as system configuration, other - installed software that influences the problem, etc. - - quite simply everything a developer needs to know to - reconstruct the environment in which the problem + installed software that influences the problem, etc. + — quite simply everything a developer needs to know + to reconstruct the environment in which the problem occurs. + Description: A complete and accurate description of the problem you are experiencing. @@ -386,10 +418,12 @@ FreeBSD Entities//EN"> %freebsd; it may mislead a developer into making incorrect assumptions about the problem. + How-To-Repeat: A summary of the actions you need to take to reproduce the problem. + Fix: Preferably a patch, or at least a workaround (which not only helps other people with @@ -404,9 +438,9 @@ FreeBSD Entities//EN"> %freebsd; Sending off the PR - Once you're done filling out the template and exit your - editor, &man.send-pr.1; will prompt you with s)end, - e)dit or a)bort?. You can then hit + Once you're done filling out the template, have saved it, + and exit your editor, &man.send-pr.1; will prompt you with + s)end, e)dit or a)bort?. You can then hit s to go ahead and submit the PR, e to restart the editor and make further modifications, or a to abort. @@ -433,7 +467,7 @@ FreeBSD Entities//EN"> %freebsd; confirmation by email which will include the tracking number that was assigned to your PR and a URL you can use to check its status. With a little luck, someone will take an interest in - your problem and try to address it - or, as the case may be, + your problem and try to address it, or, as the case may be, explain why it's not a problem. You'll be automatically notified of any change of status, and you'll receive copies of any comments or patches someone may attach to your PR's audit