Thunderbird:Testing: Difference between revisions

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 <small>[[Thunderbird:Home|<< Back to Thunderbird Home Page]]</small>
-Quality Assurance (QA) is a big space, so there are many ways you can help. Even if you have no experience, '''you''' can help make Thunderbird better. Jump in, and you too can feel you have contributed to improving the next release of Thunderbird.
+You can help improve Thunderbird and other users - no prior experience is necessary.
+Below are just a few ways you can contribute to the Quality of Thunderbird.
+__FORCETOC__
+== '''Easy:''' ==
-There are Three Areas where you can contribute to the Quality of Thunderbird. They are quickly explained below, each of them having a specific page with more details.
+These activities are simple, takes the least amount of time, and doesn't require any special skill.
-== '''Easy:''' Testing ==
+=== Beta testing ===
-This activity is simple and doesn't require any special skill. You just need to not be afraid of your computer and have a bit of time to spend on the testing activities.
+Before Thunderbird is released to the general public, it goes through beta testing. To participate in this effort you'll need to run a [https://www.thunderbird.net/download/beta/ Beta version] which is different from the standard release version of Thunderbird.
+The [https://www.thunderbird.net/download/beta/ Beta web page] has advice and links to many helpful resources, including a beta topicbox group for advice and assistance.
-More information [[Thunderbird:Testing/Testing|here]] if you want to help with the testing activity.
+=== Finding regressions ===
+While testing or searching bugzilla you might find some portions of Thunderbird that previously worked but do not work anymore. Bug reports will have the '''regression''' keyword.
-== '''Moderate:''' Maintaining the bug database ==
+For these bugs it is very helpful to know the "regression range", the 1-day range of changes that broke Thunderbird.  A bug whose regression range has not been determined also has a bugzilla keyword '''regressionrange-wanted'''.
-The bug database aka [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org bugzilla] is the tool used by developers to track defects in the product.  The database is open to anyone who wants to let developers know about issues with Thunderbird.
+You can find the regression range using a wonderful semiautomated tool called [https://mozilla.github.io/mozregression/ mozregression], and hopefully identify the code which caused the regression behavior.
-Work in this area is based on understanding the product, the protocols, and what users are seeing. No need to be too technical - but it does takes time to get acquainted with how things work, so this activity is more time consuming than testing.
+== '''Moderate:''' ==
-More information on this activity can be found [[Thunderbird:Testing/bugzilla|here]].
+=== Performance Profiles ===
-<!-- == '''Challenging:''' Writing automated tests ==
+Bugs which are performance related, with the "perf" keyword, can be profiled using a tool which traces the code being used.  [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiling-thunderbird-performance This page] has details on running the tool.  More information to come.
+=== Maintaining Thunderbird's bug reports ===
+[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/ Bugzilla] is the database / tool that tracks reported defects. Working in this area requires some experience using Thunderbird, and the ability to determine what the user reporting a problem might be seeing. You don't need great technical skill. It just takes a little time. More information on this activity can be found [[Thunderbird:Testing/bugzilla|here]].
+== '''Difficult:''' ==
+=== Daily build testing ===
-This is the most technical part of the job of QA. It requires a good amount of technical knowledge.  But if you do not have the knowledge this is a good way to learn a lot of technical stuff. This involves understanding programming or learning about it.
+This requires running [https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/channel/ Daily version] which is different from the standard release version of Thunderbird.  Daily is a difficult environment, because you get a new version almost every day, with updated code.  Sometimes the daily build is broken by bugs. Otherwise, the challenges are similar to running a beta version. The [https://thunderbird.topicbox.com/groups/daily daily topicbox group] is available for advice and assistance.
-More information on writing tests is available here.
+<!-- == '''Challenging:''' Writing automated tests ==
--->
-<hr>
-__NOTOC__
-If you want to know more, just get in touch [http://www.mibbit.com/chat/?server=irc.mozilla.org&channel=%23tb-qa with us] <sup>[[#number1|1]]</sup> and ask us all sorts of questions. Bear in mind that we might take a few minutes to answer - so please be patient.
+This is the most technical item. It requires a good amount of technical knowledge.  But if you do not have the knowledge this is a good way to learn a lot of technical stuff. This involves understanding programming or learning about it.
-<hr>
+More information on writing tests is available here.-->__NOTOC__
-#<div id="number1"> this is the #tb-qa channel on [http://irc.mozilla.org/ irc.mozilla.org]</div>
+== Ask questions on Matrix ==
+If you want to know more, ask in the Thunderbird support topic ''#thunderbird:mozilla.org'' on [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Matrix Matrix]. Bear in mind volunteers may not respond immediately, so please be patient.
+<!-- Backup. I don't think that we need it:
+<sup>[[#number1|1]]</sup>
+#<div id="number1"> this is the #tb−qa channel on </div>
+-->
-[[User:Tsk/bckup|Old Content]]
+<small>Backup (for service): [[User:Tsk/bckup|Old Content]]</small>
-[[category:Thunderbird|*]]
+[[category:Thunderbird]]