Lockable Resource Plugin: Suggestions on API changes

[Tomas Bjerre]

I have a couple of PR:s open on Lockable Resource Plugin:

 * Adding skipIfLocked: https://github.com/jenkinsci/lockable-resources-plugin/pull/184

 * Returning a lock-object: https://github.com/jenkinsci/lockable-resources-plugin/pull/185

I think this will help many users. But it does not look like they will be merged. Others have previously suggested similar changes in other PR:s (64 and 41). Just like in my case the response has been poor and contributors have given up trying to get it merged. It is sad, as it blocks innovation on such a widely used plugin.

Since it is such an important plugin, perhaps it should not only be up to a couple of maintainers to decide on what features should be added?

[Oleg Nenashev]

Hi Tomas,

First of all, thanks for your pull requests! It is much appreciated. I do not think the issue here is with maintainers, there is a wider problem with a lack of reviews in some plugins. It happens, especially in the current situation when COVID-19 disrupted everything in the industry and personal lives of contributors. So please be kind.

We have a number of ways to facilitate reviews:

• This mailing list. Thanks for starting the thread, it is a great first step!
• Pinging maintainers in pull requests if you do not get feedback, e.g. after one week. I see that the review is requested, but not everyone in the community monitors review requests closely. So a mere ping in a pull request comment could help to get attention 
• Pinging the @jenkins/code-reviewers team. It consists of contributors who decided to dedicate some time to help pull requests to get landed
• Bringing up issues in special interest groups. In your case both pull requests help users who create Jenkins pipelines, and raising PRs in the Pipeline Authoring SIG looks to be a reasonable step

For such case we could also try ntroducing a Pipeline Code Reviewers team like we did to facilitate Jenkins Core reviews. If anyone is interested, we could give it a try.

Hopefully it helps,

Oleg

[Tobias Gruetzmacher]

Hi,

sorry for my slow responses. I'll try to dedicate more time to this
plugin in the coming weeks.

On Sun, Apr 12, 2020 at 12:02:29AM -0700, Tomas Bjerre wrote:
> I have a couple of PR:s open on Lockable Resource Plugin:
>
>  * Adding skipIfLocked: https://github.com/jenkinsci/lockable-resources-plugin/pull/184
>
>  * Returning a lock-object: https://github.com/jenkinsci/lockable-resources-plugin/pull/185

I added some comments to those pull requests right now.

> I think this will help many users. But it does not look like they will
> be merged. Others have previously suggested similar changes in other
> PR:s (64 and 41). Just like in my case the response has been poor and
> contributors have given up trying to get it merged. It is sad, as it
> blocks innovation on such a widely used plugin.

Please be aware that those pull requests were opened (and stalled) long
before I took over the plugin... I should have properly marked them as
such - I have now fixed that mistake.

> Since it is such an important plugin, perhaps it should not only be up
> to a couple of maintainers to decide on what features should be added?

That would be nice, wouldn't it? I took over lockable-resources because
it was basically abandoned and I needed a new feature. I try to maintain
it to the best of my knowledge (and time, sorry again for leaving your
pull requests unreviewed), but since I'm aware it is a plugin with very
many installs (and users? - not sure, since it's a dependency of
pipeline) I try to be extra-careful with new features and possibly
breaking changes.

If any experienced Java/Jenkins developer wants to step in and
co-maintain the plugin, I'd be happy to add more commiters.

Regards, Tobias