Well this goes for any projects with strict checkin procedures but I wanted to outline this in the context of D-Bus. D-Bus has a pretty strict approval process for code checkins. Most patches to the core library need to be reviewed and ok’ed by an approved reviewer before it can be checked in. This is an attempt to catch bugs before they are introduced into CVS and also to allow people to comment on the direction before we commit to it.

The biggest problem with this process is those who are not on the approved list tend not to comment and as those on the approved list get distracted elsewhere patches will start to block progress. The solution is to place more people who know the code well enough on that approved list. The problem there is if they are not vetting patches already it is hard to gauge if they will be a good patch reviewer. The problem for those not on the list is they might feel timid about reviewing someone else’s code specifically because they are not on the list.

Patch review is probably one of the best ways to learn a project (well, that and implementing TODO items that are not necessarily ones area of expertise). People should not be afraid of being corrected if they miss something or feel that they should not offer their eyes to the problem if they are not on some list. The more eyes the better. Many people feel right at home commenting on the bigger issues and it should be the same when it comes down to the code.

Anyway, right now some other patches and a release are blocking on this one big patch. Since it is my patch I can’t review it. Havoc has reviewed the majority of my patches but lately he has been busy with his own projects and this one requires more than just comments on the code but also a discussion on if it is the correct behavior we wish to see on the bus. The patches and issues involved can be seen by following this thread - [PATCH] First pass at finishing the last major feature on the TODO list (RequestName) (note that the final patch is in this mail). Feel free to review it, ask questions, and comment. As other patches come down the pipeline please feel free to do the same.

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