166386 - Cannot Enter a New Bug -- Page Link Problem?

Status: RESOLVED INVALID

(Bugzilla :: Creating/Changing Bugs, defect)

Description

[Jeffrey Knauth]

I tried to go to Bugzilla helper to record a Mozilla 1.1 bug, using
http://mozilla.org/quality/help/bugzilla-helper.html.  I was redirected
to http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/enter_bug.cgi?format=guided.  That is
mostly product descriptions, but there is a "New" button at the bottom.
Unfortunately, that just loops back to the same page again.  All the
mozilla.org links for "reporting a bug" seem to lead to the same useless
place.  That is all except for (conveniently enough) this page
http://www.mozilla.org/projects/bugzilla/ and I hereby report this bug
in Bugzilla, or at least in the way all the pages seem to be linked
today.

Comment 1

[Dave Miller [:justdave]]

Bugzilla Helper?

-> Gerv

Comment 2

[Matthew Tuck [:CodeMachine]]

This doesn't sound like a bug.  You need to select a product before getting to
the main entry page.

Comment 3

[Gervase Markham [:gerv]]

The second line of text on that "useless" page says:

"First, you must pick a product on which to enter a bug."

So pick a product :-)

Gerv

Comment 4

[Jeffrey Knauth]

Well, ahem, I had *mentally* picked a product after reading the product
information on the page and the "more info" link. :-)  I was prepared to
fill that product name into the form I expected to see when I clicked
the New button. (Old habit.)  I completely missed that "you must pick a
product" meant "you must click on the product name on this page".  With
local hardware and software problems, it had already been a very long
day.  Sigh.

To help dummies like me, I suggest you change the text to say "First,
you must pick a product on which to enter a bug by clicking on one of
the names in the left column below."  Or something like that.

I guess increasing my confusion was the fact that there actually is a
New button at the bottom of the page.  Since it doesn't bring up a New
bug form any more, but instead just loops back to the current page
again, what is its function?  Since the only way to get the bug form now
is by clicking on one of the product names, I suggest if the New button
is selected that it put out an error message (similar to the above)
saying first a product name must be selected from the left column.

So that's my human factors/usability input from the trenches.  Thanks.
I'll now go submit my original bug.  Jeff

Comment 5

[Gervase Markham [:gerv]]

> To help dummies like me, I suggest you change the text to say "First,
> you must pick a product on which to enter a bug by clicking on one of
> the names in the left column below."  Or something like that.

You are the first person I've ever heard of who's had this problem. I'm worried
that the above text would actually be a bit patronising... What makes you think
that anyone else who hits this will read the longer sentence when they wouldn't
read the shorter one?

> I guess increasing my confusion was the fact that there actually is a
> New button at the bottom of the page.  Since it doesn't bring up a New
> bug form any more, but instead just loops back to the current page
> again, what is its function?  

It's a standard footer. I think keeping it standard is better than having it
remove the option for the page you are currently on - that would cause the links
to jump around.

Gerv

Comment 6

[Matthew Tuck [:CodeMachine]]

How about changing "pick" to "click" ?

Comment 7

[Jeffrey Knauth]

If it had been "click" instead of "pick", that would definitely have
steered me in the right direction.  Instead I went right to the New
button to create a new form and thought something was wrong when it
didn't do what I expected from previous Bugzilla submissions I had made.