RT
What is RT?
RT is short for Request Tracker - a system used for keeping track of tasks and who's doing them. Individual tasks (called tickets), ranging from bugs to support calls to grants, are organized in queues, depending on their category, and gain owners - that is, the person responsible for seeing them to completion. Each ticket gathers a history in the form of comments and replies. Users of RT see all the tickets that they own as a (somewhat collaborative) todo list - thus the URL we use, http://todo.freegeek.org/rt
There's a somewhat elaborate permission system on RT, and individual users will have different permissions on different queues - generally, a user will only see queues that apply to their jobs or interests.
How does FREE GEEK use RT?
Different groups use RT in different ways.
- Database Developers
- use RT as a bug- and feature request-tracker. Problems with the Free Geek database go into the fgdb queue and will be looked at by Coders when they get a chance.
- Hardware Grants
- grant requests from our website create a ticket in the HardwareGrants queue. The grants group reviews these requests at their monthly meeting in accordance with our granting criteria, and a grant shepherd then owns the ticket and sees the grant through to delivery.
- Tech Support
- the TechSupport queue is used to keep track of support history and build a knowledgebase of common issues. Support requests that come in outside of support hours can be put into the TechSupport queue with an email sent to support@freegeek.org, and tech support volunteers can check that queue to find out what needs followup.
- Documentation
- is an example of a working group that does not meet, and whose work is somewhat sporadic and influenced by the work of other groups. When changes are made in the interface of a testing script or the procedures for a common task, a ticket in the Documentation queue alerts the group that the howtos need to be updated.
- ASSes and Standing subcommittees
- are groups that meet regularly and deal with a large number of small and large ongoing tasks. Keeping these tasks in RT helps with figuring out what needs to be on a meeting agenda, what commitments are taken care of, and what need more work.
How can you get an RT account?
Figure out which queues you need access to, and let a staff person know.