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QA is a big space, and there are many ways you can help. If you have no experience, '''you''' can help make Thunderbird better. Jump in, and you too can feel you contributed to the new release of Thunderbird.
You can take a quick look at the items below. To have a quick chat about QA please visit [[Thunderbird:Bugdays#Where|IRC #tb-qa]]. Learn about some of the people who help in the [http://perso.hirlimann.net/cgi-bin/mt/mt-search.cgi?blog_id=1&tag=interview&limit=20 QA Interviews].
For other types of Thunderbird information such as developmentQuality Assurance (QA) is a big space, releasesand there are many ways you can help. If you have no experience, add-ons'''you''' can help make Thunderbird better. Jump in, building, plans, etc, please visit [[and you too can feel you contributed to the new release of Thunderbird|Thunderbird wiki]] and [http://www.mozillamessaging.com/ Mozilla Messaging].
= How You Can Help in There are Three Areas where you can contribute to the Quality of Thunderbird QA =, they're quickly explained below, each of them having a specific page with more details.
Ways you can help maintain and improve Thunderbird's quality:== Testing ==
* post [http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.dev.apps.thunderbird/browse_thread/thread/115265b7e165e033# items of interest to thunderbird QA] in mozilla.dev.apps.thunderbird [news://news.mozilla.org/mozilla.dev.apps.thunderbird newsgroup], [http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.dev.apps.thunderbird web], [https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo/dev-apps-thunderbird mailing list] with "[tb-qa]" in the subject* participate in community testing: [[Thunderbird:Testing#Bug_Days|Bug Days]], [[Thunderbird:Testing#Test Days|Test Days]], [[Thunderbird:Testing#QA New Releases|QA New Release Candidates]] of upcoming versions, i.e. point releases, Thunderbird 3 (3.0, 3.1 aka 3.next, etc), betas, and/or alphas. * run [[Thunderbird:Testing#Daily_Testing|nightly builds and early releases]] on a daily basis** Nightly testers tend to hang out in [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewforum.php?f=29 Thunderbird Builds forum]** How to: [[Thunderbird:Testing:Get_A_Debug_Thunderbird_Hang_Stack|get a stack off a debug Thunderbird hang]]* stay informed of QA activities and announcements** Talk to and get help from other testers in IRC channel #tb-qa. [[Thunderbird:Bugdays#Where|IRC Instructions]]** subscribe to [https://mail.mozilla.org/listinfo/thunderbird-testers thunderbird-testers announcement list]** mozilla.dev.apps.thunderbird [news://news.mozilla.org/mozilla.dev.apps.thunderbird newsgroup], [http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.dev.apps.thunderbird web], [https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo/dev-apps-thunderbird mailing list]** mozilla.dev.quality [news://news.mozilla.org/mozilla.dev.quality newsgroup], [http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.dev.quality web], [https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo/dev-quality mailing list]** Planet: [http://planet.mozillamessaging.com/ subscribe to Mozillamessaging's Planet], [http://planet.mozilla.org moco planet]** [http://quality.mozilla.org/blog QMO]* watch bugs and patches "in real time":** bug activity via IRC [http://www.mibbit.com/chat/?server=irc.mozilla.org&channel=%23tb-bugs #tb-bugs] (pick a nickname, then click Go)** [http://wiki.mozilla.org/QA/Community/Bug_Watchers Maintaining the bug activity via bugmail] (and [[Thunderbird:Bug_Triage|help triage them]])** [http://hg.mozilla.org/comm-central/ comm-central] patch/fix [http://hg.mozilla.org/comm-central/atom-log checkins via RSS]* Participate in [[Thunderbird:Testing#Patch Love|Patch Love]]* help with Tests, QA support and Documentation** develop [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Thunderbird/Thunderbird_MozMill_Testing MozMill Tests]** improve [[Thunderbird:Testing#Litmus Tests|Litmus Tests]]** improve [[Thunderbird:Testing#Documentation and Procedures|Documentation and Procedures]]** help integrate Thunderbird QA into the [[Thunderbird:Testing#QMO|QMO initiative]]** offer to lead or co-lead any of the QA areas, and suggest new QA initiatives* [http://www.mozilla.org/support/thunderbird/bugs Report Bugs] * Crashes:** If you crash, please fill in "Add a comment" before clicking Crash Reporter's "Restart".** Don't like crashes? Help [http://crash-stats.mozilla.com/query/query?product=Thunderbird&version=Thunderbird%3A3.0b3&date=&range_value=1&range_unit=weeks&query_search=signature&query_type=exact&query=&do_query=1 monitor], report, [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/buglist.cgi?query_format=advanced&product=MailNews+Core&product=Thunderbird&resolution=---&bug_severity=blocker&bug_severity=critical&bug_severity=major&bug_severity=normal&chfieldto=Now&field0-0-0=short_desc&type0-0-0=substring&value0-0-0=crash&field0-0-1=keywords&type0-0-1database =substring&value0-0-1=crash track and recreate/resolve crashes]* contribute suggestions, participate in planning and development by:** [[Thunderbird:Testing#Documentation and Procedures|editing any wiki page]] that is unclear or that can be improved** posting in mozilla.dev.quality [news://news.mozilla.org/mozilla.dev.quality newsgroup ], [http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.dev.quality web], [https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo/dev-quality mailing list]** Discussion of development efforts in [news://news.mozilla.org/mozilla.dev.apps.thunderbird mozilla.dev.apps.thunderbird dev newsgroup]
General Information:* [http://www.gerv.net/hacking/how-to-ask-good-questions/ How to ask good questions]* [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Bug_writing_guidelines Bug writing guidelines]* [[Thunderbird:Bug_Triage|Bug triage]]* [[Thunderbird:Bug_Queries|Bug queries]]* [http://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/about/get-involved/ Getting Involved] in Mozilla Messaging* [[Thunderbird:Testing/Weekly events| Weekly events]]* [[Thunderbird|Thunderbird 3]]== Writing automated tests ==
Triage references:
* [[Thunderbird:Testing:Memory_Usage_Problems|Performance Problems, Memory Usage]]
* [[Thunderbird:Testing:Shutdown_Hang]]
* [[Thunderbird:Backtraces_On_OS_X|Thunderbird: Getting backtraces/performing profiling on OS X]]
* [[Thunderbird:Debugging_Gloda]]
= Bug Days =<hr>
* Help triage, improve and reduce the bugs reported to our bugzilla database. [[Thunderbird:Bugdays|Bugday information]]. [[Thunderbird:QA_Days|Previous / planned QA days]].* Suggest bug groupings to be triaged in [[Thunderbird:Bugdays_Planning]] = Test Days = Test new features, specific features, or new releases [[Thunderbird:Testdays|Testdays information]]. [[Thunderbird:QA_Days|Previous / planned QA days]]. = Patch Love = [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:PatchLove Give love] so that patches get checked in, and patch authors stay involved in Thunderbird. = QA Wanted =Some bugs need more work to be usable for our developers. Those bugs are marked with the Keyword [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/buglist.cgi?query_format=advanced&short_desc_type=allwordssubstr&short_desc=&classification=Client+Software&classification=Components&product=MailNews+Core&product=Thunderbird&long_desc_type=substring&long_desc=&bug_file_loc_type=allwordssubstr&bug_file_loc=&status_whiteboard_type=allwordssubstr&status_whiteboard=qawanted&keywords_type=allwords&keywords=&resolution=DUPLICATE&resolution=---&emailassigned_to1=1&emailtype1=exact&email1=&emailassigned_to2=1&emailreporter2=1&emailqa_contact2=1&emailtype2=exact&email2=&bugidtype=include&bug_id=&votes=&chfieldfrom=&chfieldto=Now&chfieldvalue=&cmdtype=doit&order=Reuse+same+sort+as+last+time&field0-0-0=noop&type0-0-0=noop&value0-0-0= qawanted]. The idea there is to figure out a way to reproduce, find a proper test case and then add that information to the bug. = QA New Releases = Release candidates for new versions/releases are run through QA (Quality Assurance) testing to ensure we ship high quality code. To properly QA a new release we need many volunteer like you from each OS. To be notified of testing opportunities, please sign up for the [https://mail.mozilla.org/listinfo/thunderbird-testers testers mailing list] and/or you can set up to watch wiki pages at [[Releases|Upcoming / In-progress New Releases]] | [http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/releases/ Past releases]. [http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/thunderbird/nightly/3.0rc1-candidates/build1/ 3.0 RC1 builds] are available for testing. Please file any new bugs found during the testing period as blocking on {{bug|524434}}. = Daily Testing = If you can handle some risk**, a fantastic way to help speed development and improve the Thunderbird's quality is to continuously run test builds in your daily work. ::'''** Ability to "handle the risk" means you have great backups of your profiles and mail store, and have some tolerance for risk.''' Dataloss is rare, but is always a possibility. Stability is amazingly great nightly for '''branch''' builds, but not guaranteed. Fixes to major problems don't come overnight, especially trunk builds. But many people run unsupported builds. Branch nightlies are branded Lanakai, and trunk nighties are code named Shredder. ::Some extensions won't work. But many like enigmail and [http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/lightning/download.html calendar] work if you use the right download for trunk or nightly. Many work if you override the version check and carefully test. Determine individually which ones work using [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/6543 Nightly Tester Tools extension]. ::You can also [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Run_multiple_copies_of_Thunderbird_at_the_same_time run the current "production" version of Thunderbird at the same time]. [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Thunderbird/Thunderbird_Binaries Thunderbird Binaries] has more detail, and links to the get the builds. [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/enter_bug.cgi?product=Thunderbird Submit bugs] for any problems that you find. And talking to other nightly users is easy [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewforum.php?f=29 in forums] or on IRC. See what fixes have checked in at [http://hg.mozilla.org/comm-central/ comm-central] and watch the changes via [http://hg.mozilla.org/comm-central/atom-log RSS]. [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewforum.php?f=29 "Daily Build Thread" in the Build forum] is also a great source of information if you are running trunk builds. = MozMill Tests = [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Thunderbird/Thunderbird_Automated_Testing MozMill] is a tool to use for UI automation in any mozilla platform developed application. It can provide Thunderbird with the capability to quickly repeat tests in a consistent manner, being another aid to avoid faults creeping into the application with the constant development. MozMill is still being developed, however the basic concepts are there and it is possible to run tests manually, see [http://ccgi.standard8.plus.com/blog/archives/36 this link] for an example within Thunderbird. The MozMill scripts are written in Javascript, there is some [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Mozmill_Tests documentation] available and it should be noted that you do not need an in-depth knowledge of Thunderbird's internals. = Litmus Tests = Litmus is used to organize and assist human (i.e. non-automated) testing of mozilla software products. We need your help to:* add new tests - pick from the list of [http://tinyurl.com/54s52j bugs with in-litmus? flag]* fix [http://bit.ly/ccRnBp unvetted v3x tests reported to be "unclear", sorted by summary/title]* run tests (you can run these tests at any time)** [https://litmus.mozilla.org/run_tests.cgi?test_run_id=30 1.9 Branch] - The baseline test plan for Thunderbird 3.0 builds.** [https://litmus.mozilla.org/run_tests.cgi?test_run_id=5 1.8 Branch] - The baseline test plan for Thunderbird 2.0 builds. ** [https://litmus.mozilla.org/run_tests.cgi?test_run_id=6 Trunk] - The baseline test plan for Thunderbird accessibility and localization L10n. ** Work in [[Thunderbird:Testing/wip|progress tests]] If you need more information, please post on IRC or in newsgroup.<!-- === Release Testing Matrix === {| class="fullwidth-table"! ! Windows! Linux! Mac|-| TBD| | | |}--> = Documentation and Procedures = Most of our documentation is on Mozilla Wiki in a [[Thunderbird:Home|few]] [[Thunderbird:Help_Documentation:Base|locations]]. Anyone can edit and improve these pages, you just need an easy to obtain [[Special:Userlogin|wiki account]]. With an account, you can also [http://wiki.mozilla.org/index.php?title=Thunderbird:Testing&action=watch watch] for updates to pages that might interest you. Some wiki pages, like [[Thunderbird:QA_Days|QA days]], change for every new date ... so watch is a great notification mechanism.__NOTOC__
If you want to know more, just get in touche [http://www.mibbit.com/chat/?server= QMO irc.mozilla.org&channel=%23tb-qa with us] 1 and ask us all sorts of question. Bear in mind that we might take a few minutes to answer - when it's not more so be patient if you want to ask us something.
QMO, Some people that have participated and that are participating are [http://qualityperso.mozillahirlimann.org qualitynet/cgi-bin/mt/mt-search.mozilla.orgcgi?blog_id=1&tag=interview&limit=20 sharing their reasons], is a new facility providing integrated QA environment. QMO are preparing to roll out this functionality for Firefox, but for Thunderbird to leverage the QMO infrastructure, we need volunteers to step forward to review, plan and build - you might be the Thunderbird specific piecesnext one.
= Test Automation =
Ideas for Thunderbird's unit test framework can be <hr># this is the #tb-qa channel on [[Thunderbirdhttp:Unit_Test_Ideas|found here//irc.mozilla.org/ irc.mozilla.org]].</ref>
[[MailNews:Home_Page#Automatic_Testing|Automated testing for Mailnews]]
[[category:Thunderbird|*]]
