Debian maintainer criticizes email-managed bug tracker as outdated for modern development — there is a web interface for viewing, but email remains the only way to perform critical functions

Debian maintainer Jussi Pakkanen criticizes the Debian bug tracking system for relying solely on email, hindering contributors and leaving bugs poorly maintained. Pakkanen suggests that managing bugs through email is discouraging and outdated, pushing him away from contributing to Debian. While some developers argue that email provides stability and standardization, Pakkanen proposes an incremental approach to implement a web service that generates control emails behind the scenes, offering maintainers a more user-friendly interface without abandoning the current workflow. This approach could lead to tighter controls on direct email submissions in the future.