[Users] [Kamailio-Users] OpenSIPS project

[Bogdan-Andrei Iancu]

Hi Juha,

Juha Heinanen wrote:
> hi bogdan,
>
> i'm trying to understand this in order figure out what to do in the
> future.
>
>  > - the need for a new reliable release - delayed or low-quality releases 
>  > are affecting the credibility of the project
>
> are all the open dialog and tm related issues on openser tracker fixed
> in opensips?
>   
shortly yes, and not limited to.
but that issues are just couple of the problems preventing the openser 
release -  and are reflecting only the visible technical part.  We 
should not overlook all the management for preparing the release and how 
the whole process is handled (or miss-handled).

>  > - degradation of the project quality - testing, performance measurements 
>  > and code quality control are overlooked
>
> i have been actively testing and measuring trunk version of openser
> since january.  i assume that many others have been doing the same.
> could you be more specific?
>   
Exactly this is the issue - people assumed that maybe somebody else is 
doing something about testing and measurements, but there is no 
consolidation on project level (only at personal level). In most of the 
cases, just assuming, we end up in actually having nobody doing this. In 
the last releases, it happend several times to discover some obviously 
problem right after the release.
>  > - lack of the control, management and coordination of the project - 
>  > critical project issues could not be handled or solved
>
> are you referring the local route issue?  it was finally solved, but
> perhaps not to everybody's liking, which is normal in any democratic
> process.
>
>   
not really - I do not refer to local route issue.
 From management point of view, simply review the board list to see what 
I'm referring at (how the critical issues related to the very existence 
of the project were handles -  like changing the project name). Also 
"cawboys" like decisions - like revoking my project admin rights with no 
noticed just because I start working on OpenSIPS - and without expresing 
yet my position regarding OpenSER (if I still want to be involved or not).
Technically speaking also, the decisions are taken in the "wild - 
cawboy" manner.
>  > 1) a 6 months release cycle, but with no compromise for the technical 
>  > issues
>
> what does that mean?
>   
it means we will try to do a release at each 6 month, but no release 
will be done just because of the deadline while technical problems are 
still pending. Also a better pre- scheduling of the work will make more 
efficient the release progress. We have to admit there is a need for a 
better control and management.
>  > 2) extensive testing and performance measurements before each major
>  > release
>
> how is that managed?
>   
during the release cycle, the important steps like testing (join effort) 
are mandatory
>  > 5) technical management with a strict developer hierarchy and developer 
>  > cooperation to prevent deadlocks or un-availabilities
>
> how does this hierarchy currently look like?  i didn't find anything
> about it on opensips web site.  is there a technical "president" or
> "king" at the top of the hierarchy?
>   
no :). the hierarchy is at follows (I will also upload it on the web):
    1) core developers - they take design and arch decisions (the guys 
with the big picture), agree on accepting new modules; they have the 
last word in the technical issue (if not already solved below).
    2) module maintainers - they maintain certain modules and take care 
all decision regarding their modules. For changes out of their scope, 
they need to address to level 1)
    3) contributors - (see 
http://opensips.org/index.php?n=Development.Contributing)

any issues will be solved bottom up - if a current level is not able to 
solve it, it will be pushed to the upper level.

Regarding the "un-availability" - each module will end up having 
multiple (compatible) maintainers, so some code will not end up 
depending of the availability of only one person.
>  > 6) intellectual honesty by having decisions taken on value-based 
>  > criteria and arguments.
>
> how does this work with the strict 6 month release cycle?
>   
as said, the 6 months release cycle is targeted if there are not 
technical stoppers - like fixing thinks or the need for a large work 
that may exceed 6 months.
The critical need is to have pertinent decisions (in any context), based 
on value and arguments and not just baseless opinions
> i don't claim that openser project has worked flawlessly, but the
> description in opensips announcement does not yet convince me either
I think no announcement can convince when comes to large projects. How 
things will progress (or how things are already progressing) will convince.
Personally I put more trust in actions than in words.

Regards,
Bogdan