[Ksummit-discuss] [TECH TOPIC] QR encoded oops for the kernel

Sun May 11 21:49:32 UTC 2014

Hi,

On Sunday 11 May 2014 20:52:12 Teodora Băluţă wrote:
> On Sun, May 11, 2014 at 8:18 PM, Levente Kurusa <levex at linux.com> wrote:
> > On Sun, May 11, 2014 at 06:37:47PM +0200, Laurent Pinchart wrote:
> >> On Sunday 11 May 2014 18:29:18 Levente Kurusa wrote:
> >> > On Sun, May 11, 2014 at 08:57:01AM -0700, Sarah A Sharp wrote:
> >> > > On Sat, May 10, 2014 at 9:14 PM, Jason Cooper wrote:
> >> > > > All,
> >> > > > 
> >> > > > I recently came across a patch series attempting to implement
> >> > > > encoding kernel oops into a QR code [1].  The QR code is then
> >> > > > dumped to the
> >> > > > 
> >> > > > framebuffer.  The QR code is a URL of the form:
> >> > > >   https://oops.kernel.org/?qr=<base64 compressed oops>
> >> > > > 
> >> > > > This proposal is interesting because it fundamentally changes the
> >> > > > way users report bugs to the kernel community.  First and foremost,
> >> > > > it makes it much easier.
> >> > > > 
> >> > > >   1) oops occurs
> >> > > >   2) user pulls out phone, scans QR code
> >> > > >       - at this point, the oops is recorded on the server.  Nothing
> >> > > >         more is required of the user.
> >> > 
> >> > To be precise, most scanners don't automatically open the links
> >> > found in QR codes and hence a tap/click from the user is required. :-)
> 
> That's correct, you still need a click, so maybe a special Android app
> could do the work so you don't need to turn the compressed oops into
> base64.
> 
> >> > > >   optionally:
> >> > > >   
> >> > > >   3) user fills out a minimal web form
> >> > > >       - Name
> >> > > >       - email address (do you want to receive emails re this oops?)
> >> > > >       - what were you doing when it occurred?
> >> > > >       - is it repeatable?
> >> > > 
> >> > > By "web form", do you mean a new form or something that's part of
> >> > > kerneloops.org?
> >> > > 
> >> > > It would be great if we could allow users to open a new
> >> > > bugzilla.kernel.org entry for the oops.  I believe Teodora is working
> >> > > on an Android app that could do this.  Hopefully it could store
> >> > > information about the person's system, and pre-propagate the bugzilla
> >> > > entry with this information.
> 
> I am and I've got the part of scanning and decompressing the QR oops
> into text done. The way I see it, you may want to simply read the oops
> on the phone or tablet so you should be able to keep a local history
> of Oops that you've scanned. You can add your profile information for
> bugzilla.kernel.org and then set an option to automatically send Oops
> messages you scanned or save them and send them later. I've sent an
> email to Konstantin, the maintainer of bugzilla.kernel.org, asking for
> more details on the actual sending of the Oops message.
> 
> >> > Yes, opening a bugzilla entry might be a good idea if the user fills
> >> > out the form. To be honest, I think for that to work we would need to
> >> > clean up bugzilla a bit. I try to do some work there every now and
> >> > then, but nobody is closing the bugs I have fixed...
> >> > 
> >> > Not sure about how would we create the bugzilla entry? I mean, which
> >> > section, urgency, etc. how would we decide on those solely based on
> >> > the OOPS? Or should we ask the user to fill it out?
> >> 
> >> Filling a complex form on a handheld device can be pretty tedious. A two
> >> steps procedure that would allow entering long text on a real computer
> >> could be an interesting option.
> 
> I think you could receive an email with a link to a partially
> completed bug report (which you sent when scanning the QR code) and
> follow that link on you computer to add stuff to your report. That'd
> be nice, wouldn't it?

Yes, that would do it I believe. It would also allow easier spam filtering, as 
oops submissions would need to be followed up by a user action before the 
bugzilla bug gets created.

> > Makes sense.
> > 
> > What about only asking for an email address and then sending them
> > an automated message with a link where they can continue to add more
> > information to the report? (i.e. fill out the bugzilla)
> 
> Indeed, if you have too much to fill in on your smartphone it could be
> inefficient.
> 
> > I guess we should also be careful with the bugzilla. We really don't
> > want propertiary driver crashes added to the bugzilla automatically.
> > Nor do we want the same oops added twice, right? How would we
> > differentiate between the two - essentially the same - oopses?
> > Obviously, if we find two 'same' oopses then we can add the new
> > info to the old bug.
> > 
> > Maybe add filter based on 'P' taint to solve the propertiary issue.
> > 
> > Oh and of course the email address thing would be optional.
> > 
> >> > > > I recall discussing this with some RedHat devs at the 2012 KS, so I
> >> > > > know there is some interest in this capability.
> >> > > > 
> >> > > > I'd be interested in having this as a tech topic for several
> >> > > > reasons. First, to raise awareness of the project among the kernel
> >> > > > community (where did all these oops reports start coming from?). 
> >> > > > Second, to solicit opinions on how to feed those oops reports into
> >> > > > the community. And last, to sit down with the maintainer of
> >> > > > oops.kernel.org and scope out what work needs to be done to support
> >> > > > this on the server side.
> >> > > > 
> >> > > > Of course, all of this assumes the patches get accepted.  There's
> >> > > > been no rejections so far, though. :)
> >> > > > 
> >> > > > If accepted, I would expect the authors to be the ones leading the
> >> > > > discussion (Levente, Teodora).
> >> > > 
> >> > > I would recommend that Teodora lead the discussion, since this is her
> >> > > project.  Levente has been provided helpful commentary and additional
> >> > > patches, and should definitely participate in the discussion as well.
> 
> I think it'd be a great experience if I could hold a presentation! :)
> The feedback was really great especially since this is a first for me!
> 
> >> > I was just about to say that the order might not be the most correct.
> >> > :-)
> >> > 
> >> > However, I am more than happy to help Teodora lead the discussion if
> >> > she decides so.
> >> > 
> >> > > > Nominations:
> >> > > > 
> >> > > > Levente Kurusa <levex at linux.com>
> >> > > > Teodora Băluţă <teobaluta at gmail.com>
> >> > > > 
> >> > > > Relevant folks:
> >> > > > 
> >> > > > Konstantin Ryabitsev <mricon at kernel.org>
> >> > > > Jason Cooper <jason at lakedaemon.net>             (auto-nominated)
> >> > > 
> >> > > Another relevant person to include would be PJ Waskiewicz.  Teo
> >> > > worked on the QR code generator during her internship with the FOSS
> >> > > Outreach Program for Women (OPW) and PJ was her mentor for the
> >> > > project.
> >> > > 
> >> > > You mentioned the kerneloops.org maintainer, but didn't list him
> >> > > here?
> >> > > 
> >> > >  Anton Arapov looks to be the maintainer, since he's the only
> >> > > 
> >> > > contributor to the kerneloops.org github repo.
> >> > > 
> >> > > The idea for the oops QR code generator came from Peter Anvin and
> >> > > Dirk Hohndel, so they may want to participate in the discussion as
> >> > > well.

-- 
Regards,

Laurent Pinchart