2009/11/14 Heikki Linnakangas <heikki.linnakangas@enterprisedb.com>:
> I think we (the commitfest manager?) should simply send polite message
> to any regulars who submits patches but hasn't volunteered for review.
> Along the lines of:
>
I certainly endorse Heikki's suggestion, but I wonder if we can do
more to make reviewing patches an attractive option.
As Tom notes, reviewing somebody else's patch just isn't as much fun
as working on your own. Robert notes that reviewing patches is a
great way to learn about the codebase, and I concur. But in terms of
hacker satisfaction it just doesn't compare to creating something, and
I think the ratios of submitters to reviewers in recent CFs vindicate
me here.
I'm thinking of something like a Reviewer Hall of Fame, or Honour
Roll. During and after a commitfest, it shows how many reviews have
been completed by each person [1].
This could be included in the Weekly News at the CF's conclusion.
One of the things that people get out of contributing to an OSS
project is the recognition of their peers. Well then, let's leverage
that by acclaiming the people who put in a lot of effort reviewing,
loudly and publicly. The louder and more public, the more powerful
the incentive.
Cheers,
BJ
[1] perhaps with some subjective weighting with respect to patch
complexity / depth of review.