On Sun, Feb 06, 2022 at 12:41:52AM +0100, Magnus Hagander wrote: > On Sun, Feb 6, 2022 at 12:02 AM Noah Misch <n...@leadboat.com> wrote: > > On Fri, Feb 04, 2022 at 01:36:46PM -0500, Bruce Momjian wrote: > > > On Wed, Feb 2, 2022 at 07:21:19PM -0700, David G. Johnston wrote: > > > > Have pg_lister queue up a check for, say, two or three days after the > > > > bug > > > > reporting form is filled out. If the report hasn't been responded to by > > > > someone other than the OP send out a reply that basically says: > > > > > > > > We're sorry your message hasn't yet attracted a response. If your > > > > report falls > > > > into the category of "tech support for a malfunctioning server", and > > > > this > > > > includes error messages that are difficult or impossible to replicate > > > > in a > > > > development environment (maybe give some examples), you may wish to > > > > consider > > > > eliciting paid professional help. Please see this page on our website > > > > for a > > > > directory of companies that provide such services. The PostgreSQL Core > > > > Project > > > > itself refrains from making recommendations since many, if not all, of > > > > these > > > > companies contribute back to the project in order to keep it both free > > > > and open > > > > source. > > > > > > Yes, that is an idea. I have canned email responses for common issues > > > like PGAdmin questions on the bugs list, but for these cases, I don't > > > know if someone might actually know the answer, and I don't know how > > > long to wait for an answer. Should we be going the other way and state > > > on the bugs submission page, > > > https://www.postgresql.org/account/submitbug/: > > > > > > If you are having a serious problem with the software and do not > > > receive a reply, consider additional support channels, including > > > professional support (https://www.postgresql.org/support/). > > > > https://www.postgresql.org/account/submitbug/ does say to "ensure you have > > read" https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/bug-reporting.html, which > > says, > > "If you need help immediately, consider obtaining a commercial support > > contract." Hence, this expands on an existing message and makes it more > > prominent. I think that's reasonable, though I'm not sure it's a net win. > > One could also edit the page that appears after submitting a bug. Editing a > > web page is superior to using canned email responses, for two reasons: > > > > - Canned responses are noise to every list reader other than the OP. > > - Canned responses make the list feel like a sales funnel rather than a > > normal > > free software mailing list. > > All bug reports posted through the bug form gets moderated before > they're passed through. Moderators also have access to a set of > pre-defined canned responses (such as the example of where they should > go to report pgadmin bugs). It will also catch posts made directly to > -bugs by people who are not subscribed, but people who are subscribed > will not have their posts moderated by default. > > If we're talking about people submitting bug reports, åperhaps a lot > can be done with (1) a couple of more such responses and (2) more > clear instructions fo the moderators of when they are supposed to use > them. > > Error on the side of letting them through is probably always the best > choice, but if it's clear that it can be better handled by a canned > response, we do have an actual system for that.
I was referring to David G. Johnston's proposal to send canned email responses when a thread (presumably containing a not-obviously-unreasonable PostgreSQL question or report) gets no replies in N days. The proposed email directed the user toward paid professional services. Sending such a message at moderation time would solve the noise problem, but it would make the "sales funnel" problem worse. (Also, I figure moderators won't know at moderation time which messages will get zero replies.) For which part of $SUBJECT did you envision using new moderator responses?
