We use GitHub issues for bug reports and feature request because it scares off users that are unwilling to put a minimum level of effort into writing their report. We want users to go through the unnecessary step of creating a GitHub account, search for existing issues, and fill out the issue templates.
Contrary to popular belief, 98-99% of bug reports and feature requests do not help the VCV project. By forcing users to follow a 5-10 minute procedure, we reduce that number to around 80-90%.
Why do most bug reports not help VCV Rack improve?
- Most bug reports are duplicates. By requiring users to search existing issues, the number of bug reports decreases by a factor of 5-10.
- For non-duplicate bug reports, if I can’t reproduce the issue, there is a 0% chance it will be fixed, and therefore it is a waste of breath. The bug report issue template encourages users to guide someone other than themselves to reproduce the bug.
- If I can reproduce the issue, it is likely that I have reproduced it before. (I use VCV Rack too, you know.)
- So the only useful bugs are those that 1) aren’t duplicates, 2) have details to reproduce, and 3) are new to me. Now you can see where I get the 98-99% figure.