[Foundation-l] Fundraising "Bugging for Dollars"

[Gerard Meijssen]

Hoi,
There has been a voting system for fixing bugs for a real long time. It just
does not make much difference. Bugs are waiting for a friendly developer to
come along, bugs that first needed board approval before it gets in
Bugzilla, bugs that will start new projects that are waiting. The request
for the Hungarian Wikinews is waiting today for its 49th day.... It is
bugging the people that just have to wait for their project to start.

When we need to get things done, we either do it ourselves or we wait until
it gets done. When dollars buy you bug fixes, you have to wonder what the
net effect is. As it is, the priorities are decided by necessity and a
volunteer can do whatever tickles his fancy. Dollars do not buy you what
needs doing and a volunteer is not for sale. Consequently the only way in
which you can buy a bug fix is when people are contracted to do this work
and they will do this at a reasonable rate if there is continuity for the
contractor.

Many organisations have issues with bugs. Many occasionally hire a
developer. As they are needed only occasionally bugs are expensive to fix.

Thanks,
     GerardM

On Thu, Mar 20, 2008 at 6:20 PM, Chad <innocentkiller at gmail.com> wrote:

> I wouldn't necessarily say that it should be auction style. Rather,
> make it $1/vote for bugs, and the bugs that have the highest votes
> (excluding configuration changes and other minor things) would get
> priority. I would say that the money donated to this should be
> earmarked as for tech purposes only, just to keep the money focused
> on the reason it was donated.
>
> Perhaps this "fund" could be used to provide assistance (a contractor?)
> or other such things that require additional resources above and beyond
> the day-to-day bugfixing and such.
>
> Just some thoughts. I would love to hear Brion's or Domas' opinions.
>
> -Chad
>
> On Thu, Mar 20, 2008 at 1:02 PM, Screamer <scream at datascreamer.com> wrote:
> >
> > Nathan wrote:
> >  > I'm sure they weren't serious - if something is a valid bug... It
> should be
> >  > fixed without regard to whether folks decide to pay to get it fixed.
> Feature
> >  > requests should be implemented as they can be, based on factors
> completely
> >  > unrelated to whether some folks want it enough to pay for it. That
> should
> >  > pretty clear, if you think about it.
> >  >
> >  > Nathan
> >  >
> >  >
> >  >
> >  > On Wed, Mar 19, 2008 at 11:26 PM, Geoffrey Plourde <
> geo.plrd at yahoo.com>
> >  > wrote:
> >  >
> >  >
> >  >> better idea than ads! I have a feeling that single logon would
> skyrocket
> >  >> to the top of the list.
> >  >>
> >  >>
> >  >> ----- Original Message ----
> >  >> From: Screamer <scream at datascreamer.com>
> >  >> To: Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List <
> foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org>
> >  >> Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 7:51:33 PM
> >  >> Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] Fundraising "Bugging for Dollars"
> >  >>
> >  >> Screamer wrote:
> >  >>
> >  >>> I don't think they were serious, but this sounds like a fine idea.
> >  >>> Reposted with permission.  From #wikimedia-tech:
> >  >>>
> >  >>>
> >  >>> [21:43] <kylu> actually, you should change bugzilla... instead of
> >  >>> voting for bugs, you donate for them
> >  >>> [21:43] <AaronSchulz> and it builds up like a pot, that they get if
> >  >>> they implement it
> >  >>>
> >  >>>
> >  >>> Actually, I think this is a grand idea.  Bugging for dollars.  What
> >  >>> are the thoughts?
> >  >>>
> >  >>>
> >  >>> ./scream
> >  >>>
> >  >>>
> >  >>>
> >  >> To clarify, the proceeds go to the foundation.  :)
> >  >>
> >  >> ./scream
> >  >>
> >  >>
> >  >>
> >  >> _______________________________________________
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> >  >>
> >  >>
> >  >>
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> >  >
> >  Well of course, bugs get coded, no matter what.  Feature requests, can
> >  be coded at normal priority.   But, the foundation can hold an auction
> >  everyweek, and the bug to win, gets the highest priority.  Nothing
> wrong
> >  with that.  Nothing at all.
> >
> >
> >  Everything "should" be done this way or that way does not seem to hold
> >  here.   Everything can be done however the foundation wants to do it.
>  I
> >  don't see why the foundation can not take a seriously look, at this
> >  proposal.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >  ./scream
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