Detection of appropriate package for no package bug reports

Registered by Brian Murray

Despite current efforts Ubuntu still receives lots of bug reports without a package. These bugs are may be about serious issues in Ubuntu and are unlikely to be triaged. Using launchpadlib and text processing is it possible to determine what packages these bugs may be about? Are there other ways to determine the right package for them?

Blueprint information

Status:
Started
Approver:
Steve Langasek
Priority:
Medium
Drafter:
Brian Murray
Direction:
Approved
Assignee:
Brian Murray
Definition:
Approved
Series goal:
Accepted for precise
Implementation:
Good progress
Milestone target:
None
Started by
Colin Watson

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Problem:
Despite current efforts Ubuntu still receives lots of bug reports without a package. These bugs are may be about serious issues in Ubuntu and are unlikely to be triaged. Using launchpadlib and text processing is it possible to determine what packages these bugs may be about? Are there other ways to determine the right package for them?

What happens now:
Currently, no-package bug reports are reviewed for bugs reported by apport and
moved to the right package by Brian's bug bot.

Ideas:
In the Launchpad API bugtask objects have a findSimilarBugs() which may be
helpful. However, testing indicates the search behind findSimilar could use
some help. (Launchpad bug 878532)
Is there a minimal quality standard the bug should meet? If it fails the bug could be converted to a question.
using levenshtein distance for bug titles of bugs without a package and comparing to titles of bugs with a package?
 * what about titles like 'my system won't boot'
open text summarizer (libots) produces a summary of a block of text ...
looking for keywords in the title or description
check for package names in title and description of bug reports be wary of problems with package management and installing the software
looking for bugs about unsupported releases?
looking for bugs about software that isn't Ubuntu ... for example skype or acrobat reader (careful with pdf reports though ie: this works on acroread and not evince/xpdf)
try to crowd source information about what package a bug report should be about? possibly by sending it to askubuntu.com
Investigate what the status of +filebug redirection for ubuntu/+filebug ...
 * if the referrer is not launchpad.net don't allow bug filing without a package
Reveiw https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs and update screenshots
If running ubuntu-bug with no parameters, and choosing "Other problem", it fails requiring a package name. We might want to improve this pointing people to a page where they can either find out the possible package name, or ask a question instead of filing a bug.
If one chooses other they could be presented with a list of packages installed on the system, not including the choices they did not choose. If the packages display an icon show that as well.
Create a dialog that allows the reporters to search through meta-deta of a package, example: for empathy the reporter could just search "chat" in the dialog and empathy will come in results click on it should take you to launchpad.
Reorder ubuntu-bug choices to match with BugReportingGuidelines choices
Add in pictures to ubuntu-bug choices to make it more friendly
Look at historical information about bugs without a package and determine which packages to which they were assigned. Using this information write symptoms for the most common types of problems.
bdmurray - what about auto commenting on bugs without a package and saying
that 'this bug doesn't have a package yada yada find the right package'

Work Items:
[brian-murray] have bug bot immediately comment on new bugs with a package regarding how they do not have a package and the importance of having one: DONE
[brian-murray] talk to LP regarding findSimilar() and getting it escalated - https://bugs.launchpad.net/launchpad/+bug/878532: DONE
[brian-murray] experiment with open text summarizer: DONE
[dobey] search bugs without a package for package name and versions: TODO
[ursinha] determine how many New bugs (with and without activity) are about unsupported releases?: POSTPONED
[brian-murray] Investigate what the status of +filebug redirection for ubuntu/+filebug: DONE
[brian-murray] Investigate locking down no-redirect but not allowing it for /ubuntu/+filebug: TODO
[ursinha] in ubuntu-bug (likely apport-symptoms) if you choose other display a better message and point them to BugReportingGuidelines (SRU this to oneiric) also point to places to get help: POSTPONED
[brian-murray] Look at historical information about bugs without a package and determine which packages to which they were assigned. Provide this information to defect-analysts to write symptoms for the most common types of problems.: DONE
[brian-murray] review and update screenshots in BugReportingGuidelines: DONE

* micahg 2012-01-18
 If you lock down no-redirect with no package, there should be a way to file bugs requesting the packaging of software in Ubuntu as these are targetted at the distro and not a specific package. Perhaps a script in ubuntu-dev-tools?

(?)

Work Items

Dependency tree

* Blueprints in grey have been implemented.

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