Ubuntu Wiki

Ubuntu uses the following guidelines for assigning importance. The importance of the bug signifies the priority that it should be given by people fixing bugs.

In order to set the Importance field of a bug in Launchpad, you need to be a member of UbuntuBugControl either through direct membership or because of your membership in another team. The importance of the bug should be set as soon as possible.

The importance of a bug report can be modified by clicking on the current Status or Importance, in the yellow line and under the "Affects" column header, which will reveal a sub menu. You can then choose a new importance in the drop down box.

Below is a list of the bug importances and when to use them:

• Undecided: the default importance for new bugs. It means that there is not sufficient information to determine its importance.

• Wishlist: a request to add a new feature to one of the programs in Ubuntu.

  • These aren't always bugs, but can be ideas for new features which do not yet exist.
  • These can also be requests to have software packaged for Ubuntu.

  • If it is non-trivial to implement, it should rather be written as a feature specification, see FeatureSpecifications.

  • These can be bugs that affect an experimental extension or non-essential feature of a given package/project.

  • Bugs that would only be fixed on a best-effort or outside-contribution basis might also be considered wishlist.

• Low: Bugs which affect functionality, but to a lesser extent than most bugs, examples are:

  • Bugs that have easy work-arounds

  • Bugs that affect unusual end-user configurations or uncommon hardware
  • Bugs that affect a non-essential aspect and limited scope of the application
  • Bugs that have a moderate impact on a non-core application
  • Cosmetic/usability issues that does not limit the functionality of a non-core application
  • Non-ideal default configurations

• Medium: most bugs are of medium importance, examples are:

  • A bug that has a moderate impact on a core application.
  • A bug that has a severe impact on a non-core application.
  • A bug which impacts accessibility of a non-core application.
  • A usability issue that does not limit the functionality of a core application.
  • A problem with a non-essential hardware component (network card, camera, webcam, music player, sound card, power management feature, printer, etc.)

• High: A bug which fulfills one of the following criteria:

  • Has a severe impact on a small portion of Ubuntu users (estimated)
  • Makes a default Ubuntu installation generally unusable for some users
    • For example, if the system fails to boot, or X fails to start, on a certain make and model of computer
  • A problem with an essential hardware component (disk controller, laptop built-in wireless, video card, keyboard, mouse)
  • Has a moderate impact on a large portion of Ubuntu users (estimated)
  • Prevents the application or any dependencies from functioning correctly at all
  • Renders essential features or functionality of the application or dependencies broken or ineffective
  • Impacts accessibility of a core application

• Critical: A bug which has a severe impact on a large portion of Ubuntu users

  • Causes data corruption
  • Crashes the entire operating system
  • Renders the system temporarily or permanently unusable
  • Severely affects applications beyond the package responsible for the root cause

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