The QA team plans to use the wiki to store test cases and test plans. If we are to proceed with that plan, there are a couple of good reasons to create a separate namespace for them:
It appears that adding a new custom namespace usually involves defining two namespaces in {{{LocalSettings.php}}} - e.g. one for QA and one for QA_Talk. Further, we'll have to do some manual database manipulation to move the current test cases into the QA namespace.
Oh - I suppose "QA" works as the namespace name, but I'm open to suggestions.
References: * http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Namespace * http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Using_custom_namespaces
It's sounds reasonable, and not so hard to do, I do have the following concerns though:
Basically, I can see, understand & agree with all three arguments (makes it hard for me to decide which is best).
I'd be interested in what Mike has to say (although he is in Phoenix at the moment).
Replying to [comment:2 nigelj]:
It's sounds reasonable, and not so hard to do, I do have the following concerns though: How big are the test cases? They sound rather huge maybe justification for placement in their own little corner somewhere else...
In fact, aiui, QA is looking at some other possibilities; Will indicated as much yesterday, and those efforts would take away the need for this particular wiki change.
The size of the test case isn't that big, it's just a page of links to other tests (sort of.) It is the quantity of tests that is the concern, it could get into the thousands.
If they are not end-user oriented I wonder if they belong in the main wiki (not complaining)
Then allow me to correct your non-complaint! The wiki is not just for end-users of Fedora.
Our biggest challenge over time with the wiki is going to be managing the sometimes conflicting missions of "for contributors" and "for end-users." Combined with the reality that when you have a hammer, all problems look like nails, and that is how people use the wiki.
So, we may grow to where there is a separation of purposes and there is a stand-alone, end-user focused wiki, but that is definitely not where we are today. :)
It's possible to fix that by using the magic word DEFAULTSORT described at http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Magic_word#Miscellany
Will didn't actually address this, but one thing he and I discussed is naming collisions. If they post that many test plans, it is going to be hard to avoid naming collisions with other parts of the wiki. Yes, putting "QA/" or "QA_" in the front of a name helps avoid that, but as I thought about it ... it felt as if were faking a namespace by putting QA_ in front of the name, why not just use the proper tool?
Having thousands of test cases also dirties the search results with content totally irrelevant to most end-users and contributors. For example, say Firefox testing is pretty important, and 43 test plans are created in the scheme of "QA_Test_Plan_Firefox_Foo". When someone uses search, it hits the default namespace (FedoraProject:), and if they are searching for Firefox, their search is going to be full of test plans. AIUI, having QA: as a separate namespace means avoids this.
Basically, I can see, understand & agree with all three arguments (makes it hard for me to decide which is best). I'd be interested in what Mike has to say (although he is in Phoenix at the moment).
Okay, so people on fedora-docs and fedora-websites lists seem okay with the proposal so:
Boing! I think we're finally ready to use this. Please create the QA: namespace as soon as is convenient.
Replying to [comment:5 wwoods]:
Since it's been a bit of time, and the fedora-wiki@lists.fedoraproject.org was just discussing new namespace policy, can you tell us if this namespace still serves the original proposed purpose?
Replying to [comment:6 quaid]:
It does. And AFAIK even if we '''do''' eventually produce some other tool to manage test plans, having the QA namespace around doesn't hurt anything. So let's get this set up so we can have ''something'' to work with.
Nigel, can you make this happen? If not, we can ask Ian, Ricky, or time to teach me how. :)
Nigel gave me the go ahead to close so i'm closing! Let us know if you all need anything else.
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