https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-testing. It is also a good idea to subscribe to the
team’s email list, at https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-qa.
When testers are needed, the Launchpad team list and the mailing list are the
initial points of contact for those who are asked to help.
There are many ways to get involved in testing; each has varying
requirements in terms of time and technical skill. Some tasks are quick and
easy, and others are more involved. Some of the tests are general in nature,
and others involve specific features, applications, and hardware. Some tests
are automated and require specific test software to be downloaded and
installed. Others are given as a list of instructions. Opportunities exist for
many skill levels and most time schedules.
Ubuntu QA Team
Compared to the Ubuntu Testing Team, the QA Team has a stronger focus on
developing and using tools to automate the process. This enables people using
the tools to run a large battery of tests against a code base very quickly while
ensuring that they are probing precisely what is needed. Much of the QA
Team’s work is useful for hardware certification, logic testing, and bug
discovery. The team has developed an Ubuntu developer-focused suite of
tools called ubuntu-qa-tools, a library called Mago for the Linux
Desktop Testing Project (LDTP) to simplify testing of Ubuntu within the
wider realm of Linux desktops, a framework called Checkbox that tests and
sends test data directly to Launchpad, and more.
Bug Squad
One of the first places people become involved in Ubuntu testing is with Bug
Squad. These volunteers are the initial point of contact for most bugs filed
with Ubuntu. They read bug reports to see whether each bug seems legitimate
(for example, that it isn’t something like “Ubuntu doesn’t work” but is
specific and measurable), that it is filed against the appropriate software
package, and that adequate information is included with each report for the
developers to be able to figure out the problem. If the bug report meets the
criteria, the Bug Squad determines which developer or team should be
notified. Sometimes during the triage process, the Bug Squad might ask
reporters for more information. The volunteers attempt to determine the
severity of the bug and might assign a priority setting to the report.