Subject: Fwd: issue website creates invalid comment expectations

From: François-René Rideau <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2021 14:27:50 -0400

When viewing an issue on the website https://issues.guix.gnu.org/ the
web interface allows you to post a comment, what more without
authentication. Unfortunately, I am told by ropstat and podiki[m] on
irc.libera.chat #guix that web comments don't actually work in their
experience. If this option cannot be fixed in a timely fashion, it
should not be offered at all. Otherwise, it only creates deep
frustration in users, and maybe even lost comments depending on what
client they use.

The same web interface also, correctly, invites users to instead send
mail to <bug-number>@debbugs.gnu.org — however, the same helpful IRC
users tell me that the mail is manually reviewed by a human moderator
and may take up to a day to show up. This as such is perfectly fine,
but does deserve mention as part of the same message on the web
interface, otherwise it will once again create wrong expectations from
users, frustration, messages sent multiple times, and more work for
both users and moderators.

PS: also, several of my attempts to post comments via the web form
failed with an unhelpful error message when posting "There was an
error submitting your comment!". At some point I conjectured that it
was due to my using an accent in my name "Faré", but one of my
attempts with that name did end up with "Your comment has been
submitted!". This is moot considering the above issue, but may become
important if the resolution is to fix web comments.