[pkg-go] Bug#796400: Bug#796400: Bug#796400: golang-github-jacobsa-ratelimit: Non-determistically FTBFS due to unreliable timing in tests

[Michael Stapelberg]

On Tue, Aug 25, 2015 at 7:13 PM, Chris Lamb <lamby at debian.org> wrote:
>> > Sure. Are you able to modify the test before running it on the relevant system
>> > and find a timing that works reliably?
>>
>> lamby, do I have access to the system on which the tests don’t pass?
>
> I fear gaining access to this machine would serve no real purpose; the
> solution here is not to bump the values so that the test is "less" flaky
> - the test would remain non-determistic and thus this bug would remain
> unresolved IMHO, even though it might be harder to trigger.
>
> As a concept, I have no problem with automated solutions to point out
> potential performance regressions, but having a testsuite that fails

I don’t think the intention of the test in question is to point out
performance regressions, so while I agree with your general statement
about flakyness in general, I’m not convinced it applies here.

> non-determinstically is generally perceived to be a Bad Idea in software
> engineering. Perhaps some sort of switch or environment variable can be
> introduced to enable them so that they do not get in the way of the
> regular build.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> --
>       ,''`.
>      : :'  :     Chris Lamb
>      `. `'`      lamby at debian.org / chris-lamb.co.uk
>        `-



-- 
Best regards,
Michael