SVG:Specification Issues: Difference between revisions

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This page tracks some of the specification issues we've encountered more recently while implementing SVG.
This page tracks some of the specification issues we've encountered more recently while implementing SVG.


When we discovered issues with the SVG specification in the past, we used to report them to the SVG working group via www-svg@w3.org in the belief that they would be tracked and (eventually) fixed. However, it has since come to light that many of the issues that are reported to www-svg never make it into their tracking system, and of those that do, many are eventually simply closed (unresolved) because nobody in the working group picks them up. It is still worth keeping a record of the issues we encounter, but just sending them into the black hole that is www-svg would be a bad idea. Hence this page.
When we discovered SVG specification issues in the past we simply reported them to the SVG working group via their mailing list believing they would be tracked and (eventually) fixed. However, it has become clear that this system of reporting issues is an utter farce. Any reasonable issue tracking system would at least make it possible to:


Ideally issues should be tracked using issue tracking software, but it can take time and many iterations to hash out a good clear description for an issue, and in that respect, wiki pages (with their version history and the ability to revert changes) are very useful.
* search through existing issues without returning none-issue mailing list chatter
* know whether your reports are even actually being treated as issues
* unambiguously mark the status of each issue so everyone can easily and clearly see when an issue has been closed/dropped (thus people can ask for further clarification if the solution has not been is unsatisfactory or unstated, instead of believing that the issue is still open and being worked on)
* make sure the resolution is visible to all when an issue is closed
 
Unfortunately, using a mailing list for issue reporting fails to provide even these most basic of requirements. This has resulted in countless hours wasted and much hair pulling and resentment on our part. While we may not be able to force the W3C to use a public issue tracking system, we can at least try to publicly track any new issues we find (and maybe even go back and dig up the old issues we've reported at some point). Hence this page.
 
Ideally issues should be tracked using issue tracking software, but that's often less accessible to "outsiders", and it can take time and many iterations to hash out a good clear description for an issue. In that respect, wiki pages (with their version history and the ability to revert changes) are very useful.


* [[SVG:Specification_Issues:Embedding_by_Inclusion|Embedding by Inclusion]]
* [[SVG:Specification_Issues:Embedding_by_Inclusion|Embedding by Inclusion]]

Revision as of 22:43, 21 June 2007

This page tracks some of the specification issues we've encountered more recently while implementing SVG.

When we discovered SVG specification issues in the past we simply reported them to the SVG working group via their mailing list believing they would be tracked and (eventually) fixed. However, it has become clear that this system of reporting issues is an utter farce. Any reasonable issue tracking system would at least make it possible to:

* search through existing issues without returning none-issue mailing list chatter
* know whether your reports are even actually being treated as issues
* unambiguously mark the status of each issue so everyone can easily and clearly see when an issue has been closed/dropped (thus people can ask for further clarification if the solution has not been is unsatisfactory or unstated, instead of believing that the issue is still open and being worked on)
* make sure the resolution is visible to all when an issue is closed

Unfortunately, using a mailing list for issue reporting fails to provide even these most basic of requirements. This has resulted in countless hours wasted and much hair pulling and resentment on our part. While we may not be able to force the W3C to use a public issue tracking system, we can at least try to publicly track any new issues we find (and maybe even go back and dig up the old issues we've reported at some point). Hence this page.

Ideally issues should be tracked using issue tracking software, but that's often less accessible to "outsiders", and it can take time and many iterations to hash out a good clear description for an issue. In that respect, wiki pages (with their version history and the ability to revert changes) are very useful.