why must users create accounts merely to submit bugs

[Brad Bollenbach]

On Sat, 2006-03-11 at 13:20 +1300, John R. McPherson wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I found a bug in an ubuntu package, but I can't find any convenient way
> to submit it. If I go to the launchpad site and try to report it, I'm
> told I need to register first.
> 
> I'm not going to create an account just to report a bug.
> 
> I discovered that I can also do bug-related stuff via email, although
> the emails must be gpg-signed. After reading about the commands required
> and formatting of these emails, I discovered that I must have an account
> to associate the gpg key to. I don't have an account.
> 
> The launchpad.net/freeback page says I can join the irc channel...
> I connected to the irc server and tried to join the channel, but I get
> told "#launchpad  You need to be identified to join that channel".
> 
> I decided not to use the 'reportbug' program in breezy, because I
> suspect it will send the bug to debian's bug tracker and not ubuntu's.
> 
> Please please make it easier to report bugs for people who are
> "casual" and don't work on bugs enough to justify creating an account.

I see two main issues:

1. Being unable to contact the reporter, because of a missing or
incorrect email address.

2. Spam.

But registration is a heavy a requirement for someone just wanting to
report a bug, and we've no doubt lost bug reports because of it.

One solution I propose would be something like:

1. Click the usual _Report a Bug_ link.

2. Takes you to a screen that prompts you to log in.

3. Instead of logging in, you click the "_I don't have an account, I
just want to report a bug!_" link on this page.

4. You are taken to a form that looks like the normal +filebug, but
requires that you enter your email address (and perhaps, optionally,
your name.) You fill in the rest of the form as usual.

5. After submitting, you are told that you will receive an email to
confirm your contact address.

6. You open the email, click the URL in it, and are shown a page saying,
"Thank you for confirming your contact information! Your bug has been
reported as _bug #42_. If you'd like, you can now easily _register a
Launchpad account_ using your confirmed contact information."

This saves you time by not breaking your bug reporting workflow to have
to first go off and register, and also gives developers the confidence
to know they're not getting a flood of bug reports from V 1 a g ra
companies and users that they can't get in contact with.

Thoughts?

Brad