[Parted-maintainers] Bug#578097: [parted-devel] Debian Bug #578097: No support for CMS-formatted disks

[Stephen Powell]

On Tue, 14 Dec 2010 10:46:18 -0500 (EST), Jim Meyering wrote:
> Stephen Powell wrote:
>> How is your testing going?
> 
> Finding time for parted has been a challenge recently.
>>
>> It's unclear to me from what you wrote.  Are you asking me
>> to provide a test case?
> 
> If you can, that'd be great and would accelerate the process.
> I would no longer have an excuse not to push your patches.
> I nearly pushed without a test case, but your changes are
> large enough that I cannot do that in good conscience.
> 
> I didn't want to require you to write a test, but in the end
> my time constraints appear to be having the same effect.
> Sorry about that.

Hmm.  Well, as I see it, there are two main options.  I can
write a test script, providing you with expected output,
and you can run it too, checking to see that it produces the
same output for you.  On the plus side, you testing it
yourself gives you the maximum assurances that it is correct.
On the minus side, you have to be able to reproduce my
testing environment.  For example, do you have an s390
environment in which to test?  Does it have both CKD and
FBA DASD?  Does it run as a guest under z/VM?  Does your
system have the DIAG driver?  Do you have
access to a CMS system from which you can FORMAT and/or
RESERVE the disks in CMS format?  The answer might not be
"yes" to all those questions, and getting such an environment
will take time.

The other option is for me to test it for you.  On the plus
side, that requires less time on your part.  On the minus
side, I will need a copy of the exact source code that you
are using (which also carries a side benefit in that I will
get to see if my patches applied to your source as expected.)
Another minus is that you have to take my word for it, which
is not as reassuring to you.  Which option do you choose?
Or do you have a third option in mind?

-- 
  .''`.     Stephen Powell    
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