14:03:32 #startmeeting ops-tags 14:03:33 Meeting started Thu Jun 18 14:03:32 2015 UTC and is due to finish in 60 minutes. The chair is fifieldt. Information about MeetBot at http://wiki.debian.org/MeetBot. 14:03:34 Useful Commands: #action #agreed #help #info #idea #link #topic #startvote. 14:03:37 The meeting name has been set to 'ops_tags' 14:03:46 How is everyone? 14:04:19 * maishsk is in sunny Jerusalem - how bad can it be? :) 14:04:25 perfect, perfect :) 14:04:39 so, kicking off: 14:04:40 #topic announcements 14:04:46 Hello Ops Tags Team! It's great to see you again. 14:04:47 We've made some good progress since our last meeting. 14:04:49 In case you're fresh in, here are the highlights: 14:04:52 #info We're now on the wiki at https://wiki.openstack.org/wiki/Operations/Tags 14:04:55 fifieldt: is there an agenda somewhere ? 14:04:56 #info and have a repository at: https://github.com/stackforge/ops-tags-team 14:04:59 #info There are 4 patches under review: https://review.openstack.org/#/q/status:open+project:stackforge/ops-tags-team,n,z 14:05:02 #info We've agreed to use the ops ML with [tags] in the subject line to communicate 14:05:08 #info We've agreed to use IRC for our monthly meeting. You can see interesting IRC meeting commands here: http://meetbot.debian.net/Manual.html#user-reference 14:05:13 On meetings, it looks like we have a fairly full agenda today: 14:05:14 #link https://etherpad.openstack.org/p/ops-tags-June-2015 14:05:23 and I think there's a chance we may not get through all of it. We have a hard stop in an hour, when the Ceilometer team arrives, so if we don't, we might meet again within a couple of weeks. 14:05:32 Though, let's keep discussion of mundane matters like meeting time toward the end, as they can in theory be done on the mailing list, too :) 14:06:00 Is everyone comfortable with those announcements and the agenda? 14:06:21 sure 14:06:28 yup 14:06:39 Brilliant 14:06:49 With that, on to our first content topic: 14:06:55 #topic Binary -vs- StructuredData tags 14:07:00 We have the ability to offer rich, easily maintainable data about projects - and our mission is indeed "allowing users to make better decisions by providing useful information about OpenStack software projects." 14:07:07 Based on prior discussions with the UC, our team-forming discussions at the summit, and best efforts subsequently, we've come up with some initial tags for review. These turned out to be a little different to what the Technical Committee (TC) is doing, but we do have scope for that, being an activity not under TC governance. Having said that, it is nice to see the level of interest from TC members, and particularly the open 14:07:07 minded approach the majority appear to take - genuinely curious to see what we can come up with :) 14:07:08 the only thing is that the frequency of the IRC meeting cannot be monthly - so I have currently scheduled a meeting every two weeks. 14:07:20 a little different? :) 14:07:20 One valid point is that we do need to keep an eye on the complexity of the structure to ensure the ease of eventual display on the web (we don't want to have to update a website layout every time we update a tag), but this doesn't directly equate to a need for binary tags. 14:07:26 Initial impressions are that trying to fit something like ops:packaged or ops:production-use into a binary label removes useful information, or decreases maintainability if we want to try and retain all of the information. 14:07:27 jaypipes: :) 14:07:33 So, personally, after working through our initial tags under review, I just don't see the value in us moving to a binary-based system. Therefore, I would be interested to hear from those that do what the value proposition is. Who would like to kick us off? 14:07:48 I can. 14:07:59 floor is yours :) 14:08:02 So... my take on that is that it's different type of data -- useful, but different from the tags framework. 14:08:19 so I think we should use another name for it 14:08:25 The value of a simple string tag is that a tag means one thing and one thing only. The defintion file of the tag lists the requirements for a project to be tagged with that string. 14:08:27 to avoid confusion between the two frameworks 14:08:54 and how does that apply to our mission, jaypipes? 14:08:58 ttx: agreed completely. I don't think structured data is not useful, it'sjust that it isn't tags. 14:09:00 I don't really mind the new name -- ops-data ops-feedback-on-project operational-info... just not "tag" 14:09:22 because that dilutes the concept and makes things confusing 14:09:37 ttx, this may be the case - and I'll take that up with the user committee, but I don't think naming is something that we can solve in this meeting today. I think it would take up a lot of time when we have other items on the agenda. 14:09:38 fifieldt: the mission is to provide *accurate*, *useful* information in a consumable way, to the audience of operators. 14:09:54 and how is the current system not consumable? 14:09:55 so who would be consuming or looking at tags vs ops data? would they be two different types of people? 14:10:19 fifieldt: anything that inhibits the accuracy (via the impossibiliy of tracking some non-objective or constantly-changing data) is antithetical to that mission. 14:10:33 for example? 14:10:44 ttx: were tags ever defined as being a single simple string? 14:10:45 fifieldt: see my email about the ops:packaged "tags". 14:10:45 perhaps using one of the under review tags as ane xample 14:10:46 lsell: both could be made available. Or we could build tags on top of ops-data 14:11:02 jaypipes, for the benefit of those in the meeting, perhaps you could pull an example from that email 14:11:03 maishsk: a "tag" is a label. 14:11:11 not a dictionary. 14:11:12 Do we expect humans to look directly at either type of data or do we expect to provide some query or search interface? I think the latter mostly 14:11:21 latter, for sure 14:11:23 ttx: and a label can have many things on it. 14:11:40 jproulx: agree 14:11:42 i understand that both could be made available, but i'm trying to understand how we would explain the difference to people. we're trying to better communicate around the projects, and i don't want this to end up being more confusing 14:11:43 fifieldt: the information in the proposed schema would a) be inaccurate in short time windows, b) isn't determined by the people doing packaging (the packagers...), and introduces a value part of the tag that doesn't correspond to something that can be easily tracked in an objective way. 14:12:03 jaypipes, I see you are talking about ops:packaged 14:12:07 yes. 14:12:11 how would it be innacurate in short time windows? 14:12:40 qualitative judgements are required by operators (will this work not does this exisist) and the people making a thing (doc or packages) are diased 14:12:45 maishsk: sure, but then it hardly qualifies as a simple label. 14:13:01 fifieldt: from my email: http://paste.openstack.org/show/301705/ 14:13:16 s/diased/biased/; 14:13:37 jaypipes, you appear to misunderstand ops:packaged 14:13:44 I suggest you take a look at the review 14:13:46 I'm fine with the ops group providing structured operational information about projects -- it's just not fitting in the "tag" framework we defined, so we'd prefer if you used your own name for your framework 14:13:55 fifieldt: I've reviewed it three times already. 14:13:59 for the sake of avoiding confusion to the rest of our community 14:13:59 ttx: trying to make this as simple as I can for myself, take a simple label I would put on my kids school books. 14:14:05 yet somehow you use " ops:packaged:centos:good" as an example :) 14:14:10 which isn't something that would occur 14:14:33 It would have - name: + Class: + phone_number: 14:14:57 all three of those would be useful for me to find information about the owner of the book 14:15:22 jaypipes, you appear to also misunderstand how ops tags deal with releases 14:15:54 fifieldt: please enlighten me, Tom. 14:16:10 https://review.openstack.org/#/c/186633/4/descriptions/ops-packaged.rst 14:16:20 I've read it. 14:16:21 perhaps have a read of the "tag updates and timing" section 14:16:31 you may not have read that bit yet 14:16:33 since it's new this week 14:16:35 I sis. 14:16:37 did. 14:16:54 you also note something about "centos" in your paste 14:17:01 yet, that appears to be non-present in the tag? 14:17:07 having removed pkgtype 14:17:33 fifieldt: so what does the tag tell the audience about its availability in say, CentOS? 14:17:40 it doesn't 14:17:46 then what use is it? 14:18:33 to you, probably nothing :) 14:18:35 anyway 14:18:42 to get back to the question at hand 14:18:49 what is the value proposition for binary tags? 14:18:56 so far I haven't seen that answered 14:18:58 fifieldt: seriously, man, I'm asking a legitimate question. 14:19:07 jaypipes: I think it will depend on how that information is mined and presented 14:19:13 jaypipes, see rationale in the tag :) 14:19:22 this is backwards. 14:19:26 not at all 14:19:32 for me it is part of 'breadth of support' 14:19:34 jaypipes: mind explaining why? 14:19:48 If I want to know if it's packaged for me then I'd 'apt-cache search' 14:19:55 maishsk: because ops don't use "packages". they use packages of a particular OS distribution. 14:20:13 and when we do - as jproulx notes - we run apt-cache search 14:20:23 fifieldt: binary tags are simpler to display, browse, compare. On the TC side, we don't need to provide more structured data. 14:20:24 we don't need somewhere else to be the exhaustive list of every single package in every distro version 14:20:29 if the tag doesn't indicate something for their particular distribution of choice, they won't get any use from the tag. 14:20:36 what is useful is the general assessment 14:20:39 fifieldt: Note, I'm not asking that you use binary tags 14:20:44 but if only my disto and version is packaging it then support is thin in some ways 14:20:46 appreciated, ttx :) 14:20:50 fifieldt: that is less than uyseful. that's my point. 14:20:55 just that we avoid calling them with the same name :) 14:20:57 not at all 14:21:03 if 2/3 distros are doing a crap job with packaging, that's good to know 14:21:11 since even if the package exists in the repo 14:21:17 jproulx: if I deploy CEntos, I don't give a hoot about Ubuntu packages being available or "good". 14:21:22 I can find out that gee, maybe there's some larger issue here 14:21:38 fifieldt: it is not good to know. it's irrelevant to the person not using those distos. 14:21:52 but you do care about major bugs in centos, jaypipes 14:21:55 and this tag has that 14:22:06 it absolutely is good to know jaypipes 14:22:39 fifieldt: in what way does this tag tell me (not the tag information, but the *tag itself*) anything about the state of CentOS packaging for Nova in Kilo? 14:23:09 "overall"-level crap packaging tends to be related, so a general assessment is fine for this. For specific-badness - this tag does provide that in terms of the caveats 14:23:25 we get good results with minimal effort in terms of maintenance 14:23:42 jaypipes I deploy Ubuntu but I do care if packages are available for RHEL or Centos or Debian, it in formsme how locked in I am to that distro and if there are other distros that may better fit my needs which are two important pieces of information 14:23:43 Mind if I raise a strange question - do we have operators have any specific reason to call these ‘tags’ 14:23:45 fifieldt: I don't want to go read the caveats for every tag in every project in opeNStack. If I did, I'd just read the release notes. 14:24:00 and not something else? 14:24:12 jaypipes, this gets into display :) 14:24:27 jproulx: sorry, but I've never ever met an operator that cared about the state of packaging other than their particular preference. 14:24:41 jproulx: that matches up to what i’ve seen where quite a few operators switch distros at least once in their openstack journey 14:24:51 would it matter if they were called ops-tags instead of tags - I mean seriously - what is the difference? 14:24:51 +1 14:24:55 perhaps my world is atypically complex, can't answer that but it's my case 14:25:04 jbryce: name one. 14:25:09 jpl 14:25:11 wells fargo 14:25:14 b of a 14:25:19 disney 14:25:21 NCI 14:25:27 almost every user we’ve put up for a keynote 14:25:30 bmw 14:25:35 changed from RPM to DEB? 14:25:36 MediaTek 14:25:39 or DEB to RPM? 14:25:40 maishk: i don't think the naming is honestly that important, i think what's important is if the data produced by tc and uc will be displayed together, basically two groups contributing information to a single program, or if they will just be separate programs 14:25:44 I've seen both jaypipes 14:25:50 maishsk: good question, thx 14:25:53 and where each would live, and how we would explain why you would look at one or the other 14:26:04 changed from ubuntu to red hat to mirantis to metacloud or various other directions 14:26:06 never seen it and never seen it asked for (and 80% of the companies you linked above are Mirantis customers.) 14:26:26 lsell - do you think they are a single program at the moment (I am finding it difficult to see it that way) 14:26:39 maishsk: :) 14:26:44 in any case, having binary tag information would inform this magical user that likes to change distros. 14:26:52 that was my original understanding, we would have a tags program and have different groups in the community contribute information based on their expertise/experience 14:27:06 but it's sounding more and more like two separate programs, which is disappointing 14:27:08 jaypipes: it seems you’re either calling us all liars or being really stubborn.... 14:27:31 lsell: there are only 3 solutions 14:27:32 lsell: so if that was the case - then the tags should be accomodating to all - not just one program. 14:27:39 jbryce: it seems the ops tags team is being really stubborn to me, not wanting to follow the TC's lead and definitino of a tag just in order to be different. 14:27:50 not at all jaypipes 14:27:55 we basically came up with this from first principl;es 14:28:03 and genuinely think it's a good solution 14:28:20 just call it "not tags" then. 14:28:21 lsell: the trick is the ops usage of the tag framework is substantially different fom the TC one. So one has to converge with the other, or the two must co-exist separately 14:28:24 jaypipes: unfortunately the UC does not fall under the TC - that is something that I think should be clear 14:28:32 this has been the idea that i’ve heard at the ops meetups since paris. at that point, some on the TC were still arguing to not have any kind of tagging at all 14:28:36 maishsk: this isnt' the UC. 14:28:51 ttx: yes, i completely understand / agree 14:29:14 jbryce: http://www.joinfu.com/2014/09/so-what-is-the-core-of-openstack/ <--- LONG before Paris. 14:29:21 they way then 14:29:30 jaypipes: the Ops-tags is a UC initiative (AFAIK) 14:29:41 maishsk: since when? 14:29:46 from beginning 14:30:02 this is why there is a bit more freedom to investigate the best solution 14:30:13 fifieldt: +1 14:30:23 the way they would need to coexist is is at the presentation layer, at that level different structures would be a technical issue, 14:30:29 both groups are pretty happy with what they came up with apparently, but that's different types of info 14:30:31 OK, I'll just drop out of the ops tags team then and focus on tagging in the openstack/governance repo. 14:30:39 Feel free to remove me. 14:30:48 jaypipes, you have had some good insights :) 14:31:04 dropping pkgtype was inspired by you! 14:31:21 it was a timely reminder about simplicity 14:31:35 we're not ignoring you at all - just seeking the best solution 14:31:50 which is why my question is about why binary things are the best solution 14:32:17 so far we've talked at length 14:32:18 fifieldt: write-once website to display them, whatever tag we come up with in the future ? 14:32:27 I have some ideas here ttx 14:32:39 hoping to get someone with a design brain to run through them soon :) 14:32:49 I know, but they involve custom code for every ops-data type of info 14:32:53 because they are the solution that the TC has adopted and unless there's a compelling reason not to follow the lead, you should. I've expressed a number of failures that are possible with the structured data strategy. I don't think I've been unclear about it. 14:33:06 either that, or don't call them tags. 14:33:25 I believe we did follow quite a bit of the TCs lead 14:33:42 Also I think tags convey more actionable pieces of info. 14:34:04 i.e. we define what a diverse affiliation of contributors is. 14:34:20 you have projects with it and projects without it. 14:34:24 exactly. 14:34:28 fifieldt: agreed. repo in stackforge, irc meeting, etc.. 14:34:41 I don't think I can see any remaining failures as noted by jaypipes that I'm uncomfortable with - can anyone else? 14:34:41 ttx that's the first actual reason for bianry tagging I've heard that wasn't just definitional 14:35:14 if we just try to ddescribe diversity in a YAML dictionary, we let the exercise to the reader 14:35:32 to determine if we consider this is diverse or not enough diverse 14:35:37 tags are opinionated basically 14:35:37 jproulx: http://www.mail-archive.com/openstack-dev@lists.openstack.org/msg55338.html listed 4 of them. 14:35:43 ops-data is documentation, not opinionated 14:35:47 I don't think conveying actionable items is the primary goal of ops-tags, but it is a usefull side effect 14:35:59 a comparison to diversity tag is https://review.openstack.org/#/c/189168/ 14:36:14 which uses a percentage rather than the declaration of in or out 14:36:28 jproulx: I'm totally fine with structured documentation about projects. I just think it's a different g oal that tags are after 14:36:33 as ttx says - leaving the excercise to the reader 14:36:36 fifieldt: and that percentage will be IMMEDIATELY invalid/inaccurate. 14:36:46 I'm also fine defining tags on top of ops-data 14:36:59 I just want us to acknowledge those are different things 14:37:02 both valuable 14:37:16 jaypipes, I think it remains valuable information 14:37:51 certainly, we've had some good feedback about providing this information in the user survey 14:37:52 I'm not as strongly convinced as Jay that ops-data approach is bad. I think you should definitely try 14:37:55 I'm not opposed to deriving binary tags from ops-data, I'm just unconvinced the extra layer is really needed 14:37:59 despite its, as you say, inaccuracy :) 14:38:35 my concern with trying binary first is that simplifying from strutured to binary seem much simpler than going the other way should our initial choice be wrong. 14:38:41 jproulx: it's fine if you don't define tags on top of ops-data. I plan to use ops-data in some of our tags definition for sure 14:38:42 and as always - (as we all should be agile) get something working - and improve / re-iterate 14:38:49 maishsk: ++ 14:38:52 so if it does not work out - it cshould / can be changed 14:39:12 jproulx: I don't think you need to do tag first. I agree that raw data is a prerequisute 14:39:24 indeed maishsk 14:39:31 these are our very beginnings 14:39:37 and I think we should have a go 14:39:41 and see what we can do :) 14:39:42 ultimately, i'd love to see the tc and uc cooperate on this. i think we just need to put some cycles into how the display would work to see if the ops vision is viable...or if the binary approach is ultimately better, and then we can further discuss implementation and naming 14:39:48 fifieldt: +1 14:40:00 But then I don't want to spend the whole meeting discussing naming. I just want you to consider those are different pieces of data wiuth different goals, and therefore would suggest you pick a different name to describe yours 14:40:01 lsell +1 14:40:05 lsell: that sounds like a plan 14:40:11 for the sake of avoiding confusion to our users 14:40:13 I think a lot of it will fall out in the wash when we start talking about display 14:40:26 fifieldt: +1 14:40:50 random question - with the JSON stuff, I kinda feel like it's editing a config file, and therefore quite comfortable for me from an ops background - did anyone else feel that? 14:41:09 fifieldt: json is fine 14:41:39 ttx: I am fine with a different name - the only thing is it is not one voice - but I am not sure it has to be 14:41:53 fifieldt: Mind if I raise a strange question - do we have operators have any specific reason to call these �tags� 14:42:09 fifieldt: can you guys at least consume the openstack/governance projects listing so you don't have typos and inconsistencies in the project names? 14:42:30 jaypipes: For sure - I will take that one up personally. 14:42:35 ty 14:43:40 the reason the TC ones are called "tags" fits with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tag_%28metadata%29 14:43:56 i.e. keywords 14:44:15 which is essentially a binary field: there or not there 14:44:20 * maishsk has just been volunteered as the typo/inconsistency Czar 14:44:26 :D 14:44:35 indeed, ttx though I think a naming discussion should probably be moved to another forum 14:44:38 I think what you are building is operational data about projects 14:44:40 we still have several agenda items on the go 14:44:52 ack, will shut up now. Just somethign to keep in mind 14:44:59 * fifieldt hears you! 14:45:00 ttx: I agree that's the goal 14:45:03 last chance for binary vs structured data? 14:45:25 fifieldt: I think you need structured data before you can build binary tags. 14:45:26 ... going once ... 14:45:37 indeed - we need to get some stuff in the repo :D 14:45:42 which is in fact our next topic! 14:45:49 so, let's move to: 14:45:49 how convenient 14:45:52 #topic Discussion of tags underway: ops:packaged tag, ops:docs:install-guide, ops:production-use 14:46:09 How are we feeling? Anyone want to start with a particular tag? 14:46:39 packaged is a ‘potential’ hot potato 14:46:54 so, perhaps we should start then with an easy one: 14:46:55 https://review.openstack.org/#/c/189168/ 14:47:01 ops:production-use 14:47:02 ops:docs:install-guide - should be a ‘potential’ slam dunk 14:47:09 oh, damn 14:47:12 ;) 14:47:13 we clashed :) 14:47:19 well, maishsk you've been doing all the work so far 14:47:23 so maybe let's go with yours 14:47:34 https://review.openstack.org/#/c/186638 14:47:39 Add ops:docs:install-guide tag 14:47:45 this was supposed to be our easy one :) 14:47:57 so, is it good to merge? :) 14:49:00 there was a new section around when this would likely be updated 14:49:03 any problems there? 14:49:14 fifieldt: will give it a last look-see and +1 if ok 14:49:19 ok, cheers 14:49:28 any other comments on docs:install-guide? 14:49:31 I've not followed through all the comments are there any outstanding objections likely? 14:49:35 nope 14:49:49 your review would be helpful :) 14:49:58 after meeting I'll review & likely +2 14:50:04 ok, it seems people haven't had a chance to see that one yet 14:50:07 based on quick look now 14:50:18 let's move to https://review.openstack.org/#/c/189168/ ops:production-use 14:50:33 basically the outstanding question here was the actual data format 14:50:41 whether it;'s a percentage, a ranged number or something else 14:50:49 personally, I think it would be very nice when we display a set of tags 14:50:53 to have a continuous number 14:50:58 that we can use to sort things 14:51:01 fifieldt: I'll start a openstack-operators thread on the naming to avoid further polluting the meeting. 14:51:22 I also think it's just going to be easier to directly use the user survey data 14:51:34 given variablility in the number of total responses I'd think percentage would eb best 14:51:34 rather than having to look at one number and write another :) 14:51:59 I know maishsk had some thoughts on this - did we managed to convince you? ;) 14:52:29 for me it makes no difference - I am just trying to think with my operator hat on 14:52:33 ok :D 14:52:50 do I care if it 49% or 50% - is that useful to me 14:53:03 right 14:53:05 or a range will tell me more? 14:53:16 not convinced either way 14:53:28 but if there's numbers 90, 89, 75, 20, 8, 6 14:53:37 is "90" somehow better than "89"? 14:53:44 by being in an 90-100 category 14:54:18 are 20 / 8 / 6 all "bad" 14:54:29 or is perhaps 20 a lot better than 6 14:54:37 I think I sound insane :) 14:54:41 anyway, we don't have a lot of time 14:54:45 perhaps comment on the review 14:54:48 will do 14:54:52 and let's get on to ops:packaged 14:55:00 I made a fairly significant update to this earlier in the week 14:55:13 removing pkgtype 14:55:24 fifieldt: it's still in the JSON file... FYI. 14:55:40 thanks jaypipes! 14:55:45 basically, when I originally added pkgtype, I was thinking it was more like an internal note to those of us updating the tag 14:55:50 rather than something for display 14:56:13 but under discussion it morphed into a behemoth 14:56:37 basically, I don't think we've got enough peeps to get into the game of doing each distro (+ potentially distro version) for each package 14:56:56 and as jproulx noted earlier 14:57:07 for "availabilty" you can just jump in on the package manager 14:57:10 and find it out 14:57:50 but we do still have some good distro specific stuff in the caveats 14:57:54 which is much more maintainable 14:58:01 basically just a few links to check 14:58:22 what I would love to see in the future is to turn some of those post-release mailing list posts about massive packaging fail into tag updates 14:58:38 so this leads to display also - making it easy for people to contribute to the tag 14:58:43 anyway, I ramble 14:58:46 thoughts, aznyone? 14:58:49 (2 mins to go) 14:59:11 sounds largely good but perhaps not decidable in 2min 14:59:17 oh, for sure 14:59:32 jproulx: +1 14:59:47 ok, with a minute to go 14:59:55 we probably need to wrap up, since ceilometer will be here soon 14:59:58 probably time to call it and roll teh rest of the agenda to next meeting? 15:00:01 I think we have a lot of work ahead of us 15:00:07 so why don't we meeet again in two weeks? 15:00:08 fifieldt: have to run 15:00:15 thanks ttx~! 15:00:19 fifieldt +1 15:00:20 fifieldt: sure! 15:00:24 Thank you! 15:00:25 maishsk has made the calendar thing already 15:00:30 so see you on the ML 15:00:41 #info check gerrit for tag reviews 15:00:46 * maishsk runs for his ride home 15:00:54 Thank you all for participating 15:00:59 #endmeeting