More community participation in JavaFX

[John Neffenger]

On 02/01/2018 03:26 PM, Kevin Rushforth wrote:
> We are specifically looking to discuss ideas around the following areas:
> 
> * Easing barriers to contribution (e.g., making JavaFX easier to build, 
> better documentation, making it easier to test changes)

Thank you for asking. In my case, the barrier was not being able to 
upload images to a bug report or even add a comment to my own report 
after creating it.

The specific bugs don't matter. I'm concerned about the process, because 
I've always ended up contributing to projects by finding some bug and 
being motivated enough to fix it. Bugs are the hooks that get me involved.

So I spent a couple of months porting JavaFX to an ARM E-Ink device and 
found three bugs in the process. I lost enthusiasm, though, when I 
realized I had to get these bug reports:

https://gitlab.com/groups/openjfxepd/-/issues

into here:

https://bugreport.java.com/

One of the reports has five images that illustrate the problem, but I 
see no way to add those. Worse yet, once I submit the report, my 
participation ends, and there's no record that I was involved at all.

In other systems, from GNOME to Mozilla to Ubuntu, I can open a bug 
report directly, upload images, and participate in the discussion until 
it's closed.

Of course, I will eventually submit those bug reports if they're not 
already fixed, but it takes just enough extra emotional effort -- giving 
up credit, control, and participation -- that I haven't.

John