Problem tracking systems under UNIX

[Lars Poulsen]

In article <1990Aug7.131000 at nicolle.iaims.bcm.tmc.edu> dinah at nicolle.iaims.bcm.tmc.edu (Dinah Anderson) writes:
>Is anyone aware of and/or using problem tracking systems under UNIX. What I
>am looking for is a package that would keep track of outstanding problems,
>status, etc. If it runs under X, even better........

While working for a former employer, I wrote such a critter. It uses
"curses" for screen-IO. It imposes some fixed fields for problem
management, but allows variable-length free-format text for problem
descriptions, and status updates. As updates are filed to a tracked
problem, the history up to this point is retained. Problems can be
categorized by
	- "product" (with "version")
	- "operating system" (with "version" and "machine type")
	- Priority (Critical/High/Medium/Low/Notice)
	- Reason (Problem/Feature/Enh.Request)
	- Assigned person
	- Current status
	- Resolution due date (with e-mailed buggings if overdue)

The system assumes that there is a central support group with a
diversified customer base. Any member of the support group can file
problem reports, and updates against the reports, but once entered (and
processed by a daily update run) the data turns read-only to protect the
integrity of the data base.

Problem reports are automatically sequenced with a unique number on
entry, but multiple number streams can be maintained. This has been used
to allow one stream for customer problems and a separate stream (that
does not show up in most reports) to contain notes from developers like
"I suspect there is a problem with XXXXX, it needs to be reviewed/tested
next time we work on this product".

While the software belongs to Advanced Computer Communications, it is
available to the UseNet community under conditions similar to the GNU
license: You may use it, but if you give it away, you must give out the
complete system, and if you improve it, you must give the enhancements
back to ACC.

Contact me, if you want to know more.
-- 
/ Lars Poulsen, SMTS Software Engineer
  CMC Rockwell  lars at CMC.COM