[Soc-coordination] Report 1 : improving the online package review interface for mentors.d.n

[Baptiste Mouterde]

Dear Mailing list,

Here is the first report on improving the online package review
interface for mentors.debian.net (debexpo) [0]
If you are lazy to read the complete description here [1] I will sum up for you:
    1. link debexpo to some mailing list
    2. add some code review including comment engine
    3. link discussion on mailing to package in a web interface on debexpo
    4. add some metrics linking comments, activity on all packages,
activity on own package, on mailing list (kind of Karma engine)
    5. smart list sorting using metrics, staff pick and user choice
    6. Integrate Debian Team on each part of debexpo.

_So what's done yet?

    If you didn't know that, Debexpo already exists, It's written in
python using pylons and sqlalchemy.
    The first work was to try it, install it, and make some tests
with. This is a very easy to install and make your first step on it
    but the first problem was to find some docs for advance feature of
this tool.

    After setting up a testing environment on my server, I had to
commit works for uni.

    The hard work can now begin, I try to Imagine what I will have to
write for mail,
    It's an engine, that make query and sort the list.
    the second part is the template for the mail : simple, clear as possible.
    and the last part was to see what will change on the DB

    A question was raised on this work : should I already prepare the
team integration or not.
    The best solution that I could find is to make flexible function,
I mean functions that are able to work
    with any email. I think that will help me a lot later

    So Models is done, time for code.
    This task will be a crontask and.. there is a doc for it.
    the mail lib is really simple and easy to use this won't be a problem.
    the algorithm that I will use is as simple. the main problem is
that this isn't my code.
    And this is almost the first time that I work on the code from an other.
    this is a really interesting experience that I will describe later
on my blog with issues and clue.

    I think that beginning soc project with a simple crontask was a good Idea,
    It use small function on other part of the project, small access on DB
    and small knowledge on .mako and pylons file..

    Code Is done yet for a first try on mail.
    it can send report to an email define in the config file.
    report are daily but they can be weekly or anything else excluding
more than year report (for strange reason..)

_what is missing?

    check up for the size of the list in order to avoid giant mail
    smart sort of the list

    I would like to test it but unfortunately I spend too much time on
trying to send mail
    some smtp server doesn't accept me, some other request weird things.
    complete mail server on own server request at least 10 other apps.
    Finally I use DMA (dragonfly Mail Agent), simple to config.
    I got an aliases that screw up everything and as soon as I deleted it
    everything went fine. mail are working now! that was the best part :-)

_what was main difficulties?

__work with code from other.
        It's not a problem, more like a difficulty
        You may spend time adapting your way of coding, people don't think
        on the same way.
        For example, if you got an Idea of implementing something useful,
        You keep in mind how it will work and what it will require
        and finally you saw that this thing already exist
        but in an other way, maybe better (almost always... ) or maybe worst
        and you have to deal with it. not that you can't change it, but more
        that it's not your logic, we can't blame people for having a
different logic!


__discover where are function that I needed,
        debexpo is not as small as I thought, it follows  the classic
        pylons structure, controllers, libs, model and It's quite easy
to find what you need
        but at First sight you can feel lost

__manage exams, school commitment and Soc
        I was at an exam about how to manage a project. the main point
        is managing time and it's also the hardest point on it
        You got so much awesome thing to do for a Soc
        and you have some kind of weird exams
        and also awesome stuff to do for school (like avalanche
detector for mobile device)
        I think as soon as holiday will start, thing will be better!

__send mail...
        As I said, I spend too much time on it, sadly.
        Problem is now over damn aliases!


_What is next?

    first of all testing code. I got a test DB and I will write test
for report. I'm trying to end it as soon as possible.

    the Review engine / syntax coloration / smart comment
    to sum up, I will add a system to show sources and add comment for lines
    the stamina stuff is for a bit latter


    solve blog issues and own website issue (optionnal but... done in
less than 1 hours)



Thanks for reading!
Feel free to query me on Irc for any question, idea, or information!
Good luck!
ko_lo

[0] mentors.debian.net
[1] http://wiki.debian.org/SummerOfCode2012/StudentApplications/BaptisteMouterde2