Re: [boost] Languishing review requests

From: Peter Dimov (pdimov_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-06-06 19:01:10

Eric Niebler wrote:
> Peter Dimov wrote:

>> Why do we need a review manager at all?
>
>
> Primarily to avoid any questions or doubts about whether a library
> should be accepted or not. The review manager supposedly takes
> everybody's feedback into account, but makes the ultimate yes/no
> decision, and is even free to buck popular opinion.

Do so many of our reviews end in such a non-conclusive manner as to require 
a decision from a review manager?

> Another key job of the review manager is to collect all the feedback
> and present a TODO list to the author of the new Boost library, but
> that's secondary.

I think that the author should be quite capable of doing that him/herself. 
This also applies to most of the other review manager duties. The rest can 
be handled by documentation. The final yes/no decision to accept can be done 
by the moderators.

Going by the checklist one by one:

* Checks the submission to make sure it really is complete enough to warrant 
formal review.

Not really required. The reviewers will be quick to point that out.

* Finalizes the schedule with the Review Wizard and the submitter.

Not required. The submitter can do that.

*  Posts a notice of the review schedule on the regular boost mailing list, 
the boost-users mailing list, and the boost-announce mailing list.

The submitter can do that.

* Inspects the Boost library catalogue for libraries which may interact with 
the new submission.

The submitter or the reviewers can do that.

* Urges people to do reviews if they aren't forthcoming.

The submitter has an incentive to do that. Lack of reviews leads to 
autoreject.

* Follows review discussions regarding the library, moderating or answering 
questions as needed.

Moderating rarely needed. Following/answering needs to be done by submitter.

* Asks the review wizard for permission to extend the review schedule if it 
appears that too few reviews will be submitted during the review period.

The review can take as long as necessary to gather a sufficient number of 
reviews. There is no need for a deadline. If we decide to keep the current 
scheme, the submitter can ask for the extension.

* Decides if there is consensus to accept the library, and if there are any 
conditions attached.

It is the responsibility of the submitter to prepare a summary of the 
reviews linking to them and to work with the reviewers to address their 
concerns. The summary is posted to the list and the moderators decide 
whether to accept the library.

* Posts a notice of the review results on the regular boost mailing list, 
the boost-users mailing list, and the boost-announce mailing list.

The moderators do that.