Re: [boost] Bug-fix volunteers: risks, downsides?

Subject: Re: [boost] Bug-fix volunteers: risks, downsides?
From: Robert Jones (robertgbjones_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-10-30 13:39:28

On Fri, Oct 29, 2010 at 7:49 PM, Mateusz Loskot <mateusz_at_[hidden]> wrote:

> On 29/10/10 15:28, Jim Bell wrote:
> > To round out the discussion...
> >
> > What risks or downsides would there be to recruiting a little legion
> > of bug-fix volunteers and turning them loose on the tickets and/or
> > regression matrix?
>
> Boost is complex and sets very high requirements.
> Volunteers risk that they may not be able to cut the mustard
> (having some GSoC experiences in mind). Thus, potential of dropped and
> unfinished tasks may be high. The Boost team may find it challenging to
> find resources to mentor during the process.
>
>
While this is a very real risk the other side of the coin is that, to my
perception at least, Boost needs to do something to maintain or
increase participation levels. The 'old guard' have done a magnificent
job, and their commitment has frankly been awesome, but they can't
be expected to crew the ship for ever. The barriers to entry to competence
as a Boost developer are indeed substantial, and probably rising, but
unless new blood is somehow 'inducted' I fear the future for Boost is
limited.

- Rob.