Re: GCC Bugzilla accounts

[Joseph Myers <joseph@codesourcery.com>]

On Thu, 25 May 2017, David Edelsohn wrote:

> What can be done to improve this situation?  It seems that it would be
> helpful to provide a specific email address for GCC Bugzilla account
> requests, especially one that accepted HTML email messages, and
> specific individuals to confirm and approve requests.  This also might
> be a good task for new GCC volunteers.

In addition, the message given when you try to create an account - after 
submitting the account creation form - is not helpful:

"User account creation filtered due to spam. User account creation has 
been restricted. Contact your administrator or the maintainer 
(overseers@gcc.gnu.org) for information about creating an account. Please 
press Back and try again.".

"your administrator" is too ambiguous about who it refers to.  "for 
information about creating an account" is also unhelpful.  "Please press 
Back and try again." gives a misleading impression that trying the account 
creation form again could help.  Also, the fact that the account creation 
form says

   To create a GCC Bugzilla account, all you need to do is to enter a
   legitimate email address. You will receive an email at this address to
   confirm the creation of your account. You will not be able to log in
   until you receive the email. If it doesn't arrive within a reasonable
   amount of time, you may contact the maintainer of this Bugzilla
   installation at overseers@gcc.gnu.org.

when it doesn't in fact let you create an account is thoroughly 
misleading.

I'd suggest replacing "Contact your administrator or the maintainer 
(overseers@gcc.gnu.org) for information about creating an account. Please 
press Back and try again." with something along the lines of "Contact 
<address> to request an account.  You should receive a response within 24 
hours.".  And the account creation form should not say you can create an 
account through that form when you can't.

(Obviously you need enough people covering the account creation address, 
not all away simultaneously, to create the accounts within the declared 
time.)

-- 
Joseph S. Myers
joseph@codesourcery.com