Improve communication page and BZ login flow

[krisma (Kris M)]

Hello,

I just spend a frustrated 1h trying to figure out how to communicated with the Fedora project and report a bug.

The current system has an incredible amount of paper-cuts for new users even if you are well versed in SSO system.

First I tried to make a Fedora account, but it would fail with an unclear error when using a username with capital letters in it. Only because I guessed this might be a problem, was I able to create an account. Most users would have probably given up right there.

It continues here on the forum… if asks you to create a Fedora account, but then fails with a 504 error on first try on login. I am guessing there is a delay on the backend, because on a second try it then presented me with a pre-filled registration form (oauth2 authorized), which is probably the intended way to do it, but quite confusing because “didn’t I just created an account already?”

Anyway back to the original issue:

The communication page doesn’t make it easy to figure out which places you can connect to. It just links to a Matrix login page, that requires a Fedora Matrix homeserver account.

The entire idea of Matrix is that it is federated and you should be able find and enter these rooms with an existing Matrix account. The page should therefore link to a matrix.to invite link that will allow you to use your own Matrix account.

It should also mentioned actual channel addresses as not all Matrix clients (and bridges) support spaces and matrix.to links.

Due to this I was unable to figure out where to get in contact with anyone. In the end I opted for guessing that #fedora on libera.chat was still working, and the kind people there tried to help me.
(Note: if IRC is easier for users, then you are doing Matrix very wrong).

The next issue was bugzilla.

You end up on this nice login page:

But a Fedora account doesn’t actually work there despite it appearing to claim so. After some failed attempts to login I realized the text below the login form that explains that you can use your Fedora account is actually not an explanation at all but an Oauth2 login button.

This however also fails, as you can’t actually use your Fedora account to create an bugzilla account, but rather you first have to manually create an bugzilla account and only then you can use your Fedora account (if you happen to have used the exact same email address only) to login.

Sorry for being a bit frustrated by this, but it appears no one has ever actually tested this? There are so many places where most people would give up in this convoluted login flow, even if they figure out how to find it in the first place, which isn’t easy either.

[kparal (Kamil Páral)]

Thanks for describing the issues in detail.

@krisma

First I tried to make a Fedora account, but it would fail with an unclear error when using a username with capital letters in it. Only because I guessed this might be a problem, was I able to create an account. Most users would have probably given up right there.

Can you please report a bug?
GitHub - fedora-infra/noggin: Self-service user portal for open-source communities to use over FreeIPA.

@krisma

This however also fails, as you can’t actually use your Fedora account to create an bugzilla account, but rather you first have to manually create an bugzilla account and only then you can use your Fedora account (if you happen to have used the exact same email address only) to login.

I’m confused here. I thought you don’t really need to create a Bugzilla account, you just click on Fedora Account System and it logs you in, that’s it.

[alan-jelaska]

@kparal

I’m confused here. I thought you don’t really need to create a Bugzilla account, you just click on Fedora Account System and it logs you in, that’s it.

I just tried this, (clicked on FAS), and here’s the reponse:

Choose/Create a Red Hat Bugzilla Account

Red Hat Bugzilla could not map your Fedora
Account System login to a Red Hat Bugzilla
account.

If you would like to create a Red Hat Bugzilla
account for "alan.jelaska@gmail.com" then
click HERE?

If you would like to use an existing account
with your SAML provider then the mail
addresses must match. You can do this by
logging in to yourRed Hat Bugzilla account
using the user/password login and changing
the mail address, or by changing the mail
address in the SAML service.

Once you have logged in to your Red Hat
Bugzilla account you can use the self service
workflow to Request Group Membership.

Something is not in sync.

[kevin (Kevin Fenzi)]

…snip…

If you would like to create a Red Hat Bugzilla
account for “alan.jelaska@gmail.com” then
click HERE?

I’m not sure I understand what you don’t think is in sync here?

You don’t have a bugzilla.redhat.com account, and it’s offering to make
you one tied to the email in the fedora account system.

[kevin (Kevin Fenzi)]

Hello,

I just spend a frustrated 1h trying to figure out how to communicated with the Fedora project and report a bug.

Sorry to hear it. ;(

The current system has an incredible amount of paper-cuts for new users even if you are well versed in SSO system.

First I tried to make a Fedora account, but it would fail with an unclear error when using a username with capital letters in it. Only because I guessed this might be a problem, was I able to create an account. Most users would have probably given up right there.

Strange. Yeah, a bug on GitHub - fedora-infra/noggin: Self-service user portal for open-source communities to use over FreeIPA. would be
welcome here. Or if you like I can file one?

It continues here on the forum… if asks you to create a Fedora account, but then fails with a 504 error on first try on login. I am guessing there is a delay on the backend, because on a second try it then presented me with a pre-filled registration form (oauth2 authorized), which is probably the intended way to do it, but quite confusing because “didn’t I just created an account already?”

Not sure what happened there. There should be no delay, it’s using OIDC
to the account system. ;(

Anyway back to the original issue:

The communication page doesn’t make it easy to figure out which places you can connect to. It just links to a Matrix login page, that requires a Fedora Matrix homeserver account.

The entire idea of Matrix is that it is federated and you should be able find and enter these rooms with an existing Matrix account. The page should therefore link to a matrix.to invite link that will allow you to use your own Matrix account.

It should also mentioned actual channel addresses as not all Matrix clients (and bridges) support spaces and matrix.to links.

Due to this I was unable to figure out where to get in contact with anyone. In the end I opted for guessing that #fedora on libera.chat was still working, and the kind people there tried to help me.
(Note: if IRC is easier for users, then you are doing Matrix very wrong).

I guess this would be a docs bug? Use the ‘report a bug’ link in the
page?

The next issue was bugzilla.

You end up on this nice login page:

But a Fedora account doesn’t actually work there despite it appearing to claim so. After some failed attempts to login I realized the text below the login form that explains that you can use your Fedora account is actually not an explanation at all but an Oauth2 login button.

This however also fails, as you can’t actually use your Fedora account to create an bugzilla account, but rather you first have to manually create an bugzilla account and only then you can use your Fedora account (if you happen to have used the exact same email address only) to login.

I thought it offered to create the account for you? (see other post in
this thread)

Sorry for being a bit frustrated by this, but it appears no one has ever actually tested this? There are so many places where most people would give up in this convoluted login flow, even if they figure out how to find it in the first place, which isn’t easy either.

Fedora is a old project and things accumulate over time and new things
show up and people didn’t completely change docs, etc.
I think we really rely on people hitting issues telling us so we can
adjust things. Also of course as with any large project things like
getting a release out and keeping builds working takes precedence over
fixing docs and making onetime things smoother.

Anyhow, many thanks for bringing these items up! I hope we can smooth
them out and get things working better for everyone…

[alan-jelaska]

@kevin

I’m not sure I understand what you don’t think is in sync here?

Login menu offers login with FAS account, which works for me everywhere in Fedora space, but not on Red Hat Bugzilla.

As I wrote:

@alan-jelaska

Red Hat Bugzilla could not map your Fedora
Account System login to a Red Hat Bugzilla
account.

I can try to create different account for Red Hat Bugzilla, but it would be easier if FAS account worked as advertised.

[alan-jelaska]

Yeah, I did it, now I have two Red Hat accounts. One for Bugzilla, and other because I applied for Red Hat Developer Subscription for Individuals.

[kevin (Kevin Fenzi)]

Right, we do not run or control Red Hat bugzilla.

The ‘login with fas account’ means, use fas to login to your
existing bugzilla.redhat.com account.

If you can see better wording for this, bugzilla-owner@redhat.com I
think is the place to engage with them.

[alan-jelaska]

Thanks a lot!