Thread by @PredragGruevski

I found a one-digit typo in the docs for Python's typing_extensions. I wanted to be a good community member and fix it.

I had no idea how much frustration that one-char PR was about to cause. Brace yourselves as I take you along on this wild ride 🧵

RT for reach appreciated 🙏

To begin, I open a PR in the @github repo of typing_extensions. Easy-peasy. Right? 😬

"Sorry, you have to sign the @ThePSF CLA."

Okay, that's fine. I can do that.

github.com/python/typing/…

"Sorry, you need a bugs.python.org account to sign the CLA."

bugs.python.org supports @github auth so I don't have to type in all the details manually. Should be a one-click process, right?

"Sorry, your @github email must be set to public to do that."

Yeah, no. I already get spammed by enough people scraping emails from my @github commits, even though it's against @github's terms.

Manual bugs.python.org account it is, I guess.

"Sorry, you have to validate your bugs.python.org email before your account is activated."

Okay, this is expected. I wait for the email, then click the link. My account is active.

What was I trying to do? Oh, right, fix a typo + sign the CLA. Where's the CLA?

My bugs.python.org account details page has a field that shows I haven't signed the CLA. I was hoping it would have *a link* to the CLA 🤔 Nope, no link.

Okay, back to @github I guess. Whew, the @github PR has the CLA link. I type in my info and sign the CLA.

"Sorry, you signed the CLA with your name, email, and bugs.python.org account name, but you have to verify your CLA signature email even though it matches the verified email on file on the bugs.python.org account."

This is just unfortunate.

"Sorry, you have to click this button and enter your @github username to refresh your CLA signing status."

Okay, I do the thing.

"Sorry, you have not signed the CLA."

Excuse me, what? Umm my email would beg to differ.

"Sorry, you actually have to wait *at least one business day* between signing the CLA and having that be reflected online."

Also this information is in the devguide (in an easy-to-miss place) and *nowhere else* — not on @github or the "check CLA" tool.

devguide.python.org/pullrequest/#l…

So now I'm waiting for my CLA signing status to be reflected online. Hopefully it's only one business day.

I could have sworn I was trying to do something else though... It's been so many steps, I can't remember what it was...

Oh right, the one-character typo!

Here's to hoping my CLA signing status is updated, someone reviews the PR, and TypeAlias eventually starts referring to PEP 613 instead of PEP 610.

python.org/dev/peps/pep-0…

I realize it's hard to make all the tools work nicely together. I realize there's only so much time and money available.

But this contributor UX is holding Python back. If @llanga or anyone else @ThePSF wants to trial a new contributor workflow, I volunteer to be a tester.

A tester is all I can offer to be — I can't actually *contribute* to fixing these problems.

You see, I apparently haven't signed the CLA yet, for at least one more business day. I'll try to remember to check back in a day or so.

As I write this thread, I am quite frustrated — and I'm sure it shows. I'm sorry.

If this thread made you frustrated too, I'm sorry.

If you are one of the people that worked on these systems, and this thread made you feel sad or unappreciated, I'm sorry.

I am grateful for Python and its community every day I turn on my computer.

I documented my experience with attempting to join the Python contributors community in the hope of improving it.

Alas, I remain outside that community for now. I'll check back in one business day.

... and I forgot to add alt text to my images, as @AltTxtReminder helpfully pointed out.

So I'm also sorry to everyone reading with a screen reader. And I'm sorry to @thingskatedid who introduced me to why alt text is needed.

I wish @Twitter would remind me to add alt text.

Back to top of thread:

https://twitter.com/PredragGruevski/status/1478782546624360453