[wp-testers] Re: Zombie Couriers

[wp-tester at spamex.com]

> I don't think it's entirely fair to dump on WordPress for these
> plugins failing. I do think we could have forced the issue earlier in
> the 2.3 release cycle (back before the RCs would have been ideal,
> methinks).

That was a nice reply. I'm used to screaming venom from OSS  
discussion lists, which is a chief reason I don't participate in  
them, and I can be prickly when I do. There's a popular mobile forum  
I won't go near anymore because of the moderator's penchant for  
heaping scorn and abuse on those he deems "n00bs."

Needless to say, his software suffers from bugs, because people are  
not willing to provide feedback.

I apologize for ruffling feathers, but a very standard best practice  
is that the Golden Master is the last beta, which was the previous  
beta with a couple of bug fixes, which was the previous beta with a  
couple of bug fixes, etc. I just couldn't believe that a change of  
this magnitude was introduced at release time, when all previous  
practices pointed to a professional software development workflow.

Here's the formula we use in the multinational for which I run SD:

	Alpha: Feature complete. Needs UI refinement, and bugs are allowed  
to exist.

	Beta: Feature complete. UI frozen. No known bugs. All changes from  
this point forward are bug fix only.

	Golden Master Candidate: No changes except for critical bug fixes.  
The source has been branched.

	Golden Master: Too late now. The train has left the station.

As you can imagine, it is not always perfect. This is our platonic  
ideal, but we get pretty close to it for several releases per year.

I'm trying to replace the alpha/beta with a staged milestone release  
system, but it's very difficult to get that many people and  
departments on board with a system that requires such a high level of  
planning.

You just don't flip big switches in the final release. The last beta  
was introduced as RC1, so I had assumed that I had some breathing  
space. As it turns out, I do have some breathing space, but I had to  
patch some SQL to get it.

I will be reconsidering EC3, but it ain't so simple. The UI is far  
better than any other calendar system. Alex Tingle has a very active  
discussion list, and you can bet he'll be getting a great deal more  
heat than you guys will.

If I wasn't sincerely interested in helping WordPress, I wouldn't  
have bothered posting this, and just waited until the screeching  
begins (which it will). I just thought you guys could use a helpful  
and constructive post early on. I like WP, and I completely support  
it. I've committed to it in a big way, and you guys really want  
people of my caliber on your team. I ain't no piker.

Chris