Linux Kernel Bugzilla Launched

paskie writes "Martin J. Bligh of IBM announced launch of a Bugzilla bug tracking database for 2.5 linux kernel series - it's at bugme.osdl.org. Finally there will be some possibility to easily keep track of known bugs without being subscribed to thousand of mailing lists or googling to death. According to the relevant lkml thread, kernel developers will still prefer discussions to happen on the mailing lists, though. The Bugzilla server and connection is donated by OSDL and IBM folks administer the database."

Are you serious?

[Flabby Boohoo]

Time and materials are being donated. What possible problem could you have with that?

Does it honestly matter how the bugs are being tracked, just as long as they are tracked?

Re:What's the point ...

[RollingThunder]

Perhaps I missed it, but I don't see anything in the announcement or on the site that this is using DB2 (what I presume you mean by "IBM's db"). Are you just assuming that's the case because IBM's hosting it?

Re:Did we listen? No

[po_boy]

That's blatently inconsiderate, and intolerably so. It's almost as though paskie and CowboyNeal were intentionally being inconsiderate.

Re:What's the point ...

[John Whitley]

None of the links on the /. page or OSDL seem to indicate that the database is IBM's software, just that they're providing the bug database admin labor. Where did you read that IBM's proprietary DB software is being used?

Even if your statement is true, perhaps part of IBM's return on investment is a real-world application study with this bug-tracker as a test case?

Re:What's the point ...

[BJH]

I don't see YOU offering to run a Bugzilla for the kernel. Put up or shut up.

Re:My concern with this

[RocketJeff]

I hope IBM does not gain to much control over the kernel because of this. Linux should be free of massive corporate backing, otherwise we'll become IBM's slaves. IBM can be just as evil as microsoft if we let them

It's just a freakin' bug tracking database - it's not like they're taking over kernel development. I'd doubt that even a paranoid the size of RMS could see a problem with this (although I'm obviously wrong looking at the post I'm replying to).

The BEST time to do it.

[dpilot]

After all, these are the days of corporate accounting fiascos. In the current clime, transparency is a thing to be admired, and this is about as transparent as you can get.

Feature it, it's the timely thing to do, as well as the right thing to do.

For that matter, Microsoft doesn't have much room to cast stones, and if transparency becomes an issue, one can always bring up their stock dilution through options, non-payment of dividends that stockholders are requesting while sitting on $40e9 of cash, and sometimes-questionable donations to charity that look like they generate more revenue than the donation.

Re:A public database of errors?

[mpost4]

Or not, linux developers can then point back and show that they have a way to tracking bugs, fixing them and being open.

IBM's Linux Strategy?

[Joseph Lam]

This seems to me that IBM wants to get closer to the kernel bug-tracking which is very important for them to adopt and support Linux on their products, especially on the high-end side. They've got to know the kernel inside out in order to introduce Linux and provide top quality service to prestigious customers.

Re:A public database of errors?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, but hink about it this way...
Bug open: 11:54 EST 15/11/2002
Status: Serious

Bug Closed: 17:16 EST 15/11/2002
By: Linus T

How's Microsoft gonna FUD that?!

Christ on A Rubber OSS Crutch.

[puto]

This is too funny. IBM doing something good for the community and for themselves at the same time? Nothing wrong with at. Altruism and capitlism can go hand and hand. And I am not one to look a gift server in the mouth.

First we have people talking about IBM doing this to control kernel developlemt. This is nuts. IBM understands that Linux is big in the cards for them and they also understand the Free As in Beer Developmental community needs to really have a central repository for this sorta thing.

So IBM cuts loose the space and the DB for it. Throws in an admin or two. Why? Cause they got big money on Linux, they want to move the big corps over to it. So they need the assurance that bugfixes, patches, what have you, is on a reliable server somewhere that will always be around.

Yeah it does benefit them and benefit us. More power to em. OR what we are gonna round robin the server costs every month? We are gonna set up a Paypal Account and each chip in our own unlimited funds in this street paved of gold IT industry we have now?

IBM is a business and it sees that helping the community can help itself. QUID PRO QUO my friends.

IBM was a monopoly, but they also make damn good equipment. Always have. You can go on about a failed run of hard drives, or some bad workstations. But hey happends to all of them...

And this busines that IBM needs to know the kernel inside and out. Ahhh, I do not think anyone needs to be talking out there ass about us teaching IBM anything about operating systems. Much less one ending in *NIX.

IBM is one of the best things to happen to our community. They are making the inroads in the corporate road for us.

JEEZ. Get off the high horse people.

TheFlatline

Re:Why?

[iabervon]

This will be useful for tracking bugs ("So did anybody ever fix that problem with that weird hardware? Did the patch for it ever get into the tree, or did it just go to the person who reported it?"), as opposed to reporting and discussing bugs. That's why it was set up now, when work is supposed to turn to stabilization.

Re:Christ on A Rubber OSS Crutch.

[dmiller]

Get off the high horse people.

Great way to finish a totally pompous rambling rant.

Re:Idiotic. No ANON means no more good bug data!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

Wait a minute... you trust proxies and free email services but you don't trust this?

Think about it Mr. Paranoia, even if you're just scanning for open proxies rather than using public ones you're still screwed. If *I* were looking to snoop on the actions of people like yourself, I'd set up a few open proxies and log them like a motherfucker.

You are not safe. Anywhere. Anytime. Get over it.

Correct URL?

[CwazyWabbit]

Any reason why the article points at Mozilla's in-use Bugzilla rather than the Bugzilla project page [bugzilla.org]?

Very nice

[Skal Tura]

More big corps support Linux, that better linux becomes if as long the corps doesn't try to control kernel development, only use the benefits of helping them.
This is very strategic move from OSDL and IBM cause it helps a lot of linux kernel development thus getting patches faster and because kernel gets better & stabler IBM gets more systems sold with Linux.
Besides Linux needs more corps supporting, because it's they key to Linux grow, i've found using linux a bit of hard because some corps doesn't support linux, biggest problems i've had with Linux is that my printer and scanner isn't supported and some applications what i need simply aren't there, for example Adobe Photoshop, GIMP is simply total crap when compared to Photoshop, even GIMP is very good basic image manipulation software and i prefer GIMP over Paint shop pro for example.
Next biggest problem i had was the thing i was unable to play many games under Linux, only Quakes, Unreal tournament and few others when i'd liked to play Counter-Strike, Capitalism II etc...
Emulating simply isn't the way to do it.
I know it's old news that IBM supports linux but this bug tracker might help those corps which haven't done any native Linux ports before and thus some corps starts supporting Linux, and again when more software comes to Linux IBM gets more systems sold and more people start using Linux.
I just wonder where are all those overclockers who use Linux, i found Linux way more better when i was OC'ng even i couldn't change FSB etc... by software, my old system booted fine at over 1700Mhz to Linux as under wind0ze it left me ~1670Mhz at a good day (1.33Ghz TBird air cooled)

Oh yeah, i tried to stay on topic but i just had to say some other things also :-)