Before FreeBSD 10, FreeBSD included a problem reporting tool called
send-pr. Problems include bug reports,
feature requests, feature enhancements and notices of new versions
of external software that are included in the project.
Although send-pr is available, users and developers are encouraged
to submit issues using our
problem report form.
Problem reports are sent to an email address where it is inserted into the Problem Reports maintenance database. A Bugbuster classifies the problem and sends it to the correct group or maintainer within the project. After someone has taken responsibility for the report, the report is being analysed. This analysis includes verifying the problem and thinking out a solution for the problem. Often feedback is required from the report originator or even from the FreeBSD community. Once a patch for the problem is made, the originator may be asked to try it out. Finally, the working patch is integrated into the project, and documented if applicable. It there goes through the regular maintenance cycle as described in section maintenance. These are the states a problem report can be in: open, analyzed, feedback, patched, suspended and closed. The suspended state is for when further progress is not possible due to the lack of information or for when the task would require so much work that nobody is working on it at the moment.
A problem is reported by the report originator. It is then classified by a bugbuster and handed to the correct maintainer. They verify the problem and discuss the problem with the originator until they have enough information to create a working patch. This patch is then committed and the problem report is closed.
The roles included in this process are: