states.texi revision 5476 
1@node States
2@section States of Problem Reports
3
4@cindex life-cycle of a Problem Report
5@cindex states of Problem Reports
6@cindex Problem Report states
7@cindex automatic notification
8
9Each PR goes through a defined series of states between origination and
10closure.  The originator of a PR receives notification automatically of
11any state changes.
12
13@table @dfn
14@cindex @emph{open} state
15@cindex initial state (@dfn{open})
16@cindex state---@dfn{open}
17@item open
18The initial state of a Problem Report.  This means the PR has been filed
19and the responsible person(s) notified.
20
21@item analyzed
22@cindex @emph{analyzed} state
23@cindex state---@dfn{analyzed}
24The responsible person has analyzed the problem.  The analysis should
25contain a preliminary evaluation of the problem and an estimate of the
26amount of time and resources necessary to solve the problem.  It should
27also suggest possible workarounds.
28
29@item feedback
30@cindex @emph{feedback} state
31@cindex state---@dfn{feedback}
32The problem has been solved, and the originator has been given a patch
33or other fix.  The PR remains in this state until the originator
34acknowledges that the solution works.
35
36@item closed
37@cindex @emph{closed} state
38@cindex state---@dfn{closed}
39@cindex final state (@dfn{closed})
40A Problem Report is closed (``the bug stops here'') only when any
41changes have been integrated, documented, and tested, and the submitter
42has confirmed the solution.
43
44@item suspended
45@cindex @emph{suspended} state
46@cindex state---@dfn{suspended}
47Work on the problem has been postponed.  This happens if a timely
48solution is not possible or is not cost-effective at the present time.
49The PR continues to exist, though a solution is not being actively
50sought.  If the problem cannot be solved at all, it should be closed
51rather than suspended.
52@end table
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