WDK Community Bug Bash 2010

Frequently Asked Questions

About bug submissions:

1. Do I get something for each and every bug I submit?
   Yes... you get the community's undying gratitude.  However, each individual is only eligible to receive one Technical Award and One Editorial Award.  Plus, of course, if one of your bugs is judged among the best, you could win one of the big prizes awarded at the end of the Bug Bash.
    
2. If I only get free stuff for submitting 2 bugs (one technical and one editorial) why would I want to submit more than 2 bugs?
   Because you want to make the WDK better, for yourself and everyone who uses it.  Oh, and also because you want to submit the best possible bugs so you have a better chance to win one of the First Prizes or Second Prizes.
    
3. What version(s) of the WDK can I submit bugs on?  I know of a bunch of bugs in an older WDK... can I submit those?
   You can only submit bugs that appear in the most recent version of the WDK (7600.16385.1).  You cannot submit, and we won't acknowledge, bugs on earlier versions.  Before you submit a documentation bug, please DO make sure you find the doc page online (on msdn.microsoft.com) with the error, and be SURE to give us a link to that page.
    
4. What parts of the WDK can I submit bugs on?
   Just about all of them.  The documentation, the headers, the tools and utilities, the build environment, the sample drivers... We'll even gratefully accept KMDF and UMDF bugs, and bugs in functions that are documented in the WDK (who knows... maybe you found a bug in the way CcUnpinRepinnedBcb works -- If so, report that).
    
5. Can I submit bugs anonymously?
   Sort of.  The bugs you submit will be identified using the first name you used when you registered with OSR Online, and with your domain name.  This is the only choice.  That's sort of anonymous, but not entirely.
    
6. There's no place on the bug form for me to provide you my address!  How can you send me my stuff?
   After we've verified your bug, we will contact you via email.  Be certain that the email address that you supply on the bug form is valid and works, and that you're able to receive email from bugbash@osr.com. If we cannot contact you via email, you will not receive your Award or Prize (as applicable).
    
7. Will my email address be given to anyone else, or used for any other purpose.
   No.  Nobody but OSR sees your complete email address when you submit a bug.  And we do not spam your email.  You should know that by now.

8. How exactly do I find and provide you with an MSDN link for doc bugs?
   Dude, seriously?  If you're are using a local copy of the WDK, you can use your favorite search engine to find the specific API on MSDN.  Alternatively,the following link will take you to the base WDK page on MSDN and you can search from there: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff557573(v=VS.85).aspx” 

9. Wait!  I have a bug in the WDK documentation that I downloaded and installed, but that same bug doesn't show up in the docs that are online!
   Sure, that's entirely possible.  Now you know why we need you to find the bug in the online version of the on the MSDN web site.  If the bug you want to report has already been found and fixed in the online version, it's not eligible for an Award or Prize.
    
10. What should I fill into the, "Where Is The Bug Found?" section of the "Submit a New Bug" form?
    For documentation bugs: Give us a link to the doc page (on msdn.microsoft.com) that has the bug.  Tell us EXACTLY where the bug is.  If it is a purely editorial bug, quote the sentence in error.   If it is a technical bug in the documentation (the docs say you can call some function at IRQL DISPATCH_LEVEL, but you can only call the function at IRQL PASSIVE_LEVEL), clearly explain the bug.
    
    For code bugs: Give us the code... and perhaps a repro case. If your bug involves something complicated, you might want to provide a link to a ZIP archive with a driver or something that reproduces the problem.
    
    For tool and utility bugs:  Give us an example of the input to the tool and the tool's output.  Explain what is wrong.
    
    Remember... We are not in your head.  Somebody at OSR and somebody at Microsoft are going to have to reproduce your bug.  This will need to happen before your bug can be verified, approved for an Award or a Prize, and ultimately fixed.  So, if you make us work too hard to repro the problem, or we have to send you email to get further details, that is just going to delay our sending you your Award.  And you don't want that, right?
     
11. The "Submit a New Bug" form asks me to supply a fix or expected behavior.  Do I need to debug Microsoft's code in order to file a bug on it?
    No, certainly not.  On the other hand, you need to clearly explain both what is wrong with the behavior you are reporting as a bug, and how it SHOULD work.  In other words, if you are going to report a bug in the completion routine of a sample driver, you probably need tell us both where the error is and how the corrected code should read.  Similarly, if you are reporting a bug in the documentation, it is probably not enough to say "The third sentence in the 4th paragraph is wrong" -- Tell us HOW it is wrong, and what it should say to make it correct. 
     
12. I submitted a ton of really cool bugs to Microsoft last month.  Can I input those into the Bug Bash and get Awards and maybe win some prizes?
    No.  You need to be the first person to report a particular bug to be eligible for an award or a prize for the bug you submit.
     
13. When can I expect the bugs that I submit to get fixed?
    Realistically speaking, you can expect most bugs to be fixed in the Windows 8 time frame.  But, it could take longer.  Hopefully not, but...
     
14. How do I know my bugs are really reported to Microsoft?
    Because we will update the status on the Bug List Status Page on a regular basis during the contest (and afterwards, if there is enough interest).
     
15. I submitted a bug but don't see it listed in the Bug List. How do I know it was received? Do I need to resubmit?
    If you received a confirmation email with a link to your submitted bug, then we have received your submission. It will not show up in the Bug List by default - all reported bugs will need to be validated, with clarifications as required before they are "approved" and will show up in the Bug List.
     

About Awards and Prizes:

1. What are Awards?
   An Award is the free stuff that we send you just for submitting a valid bug to the Bug Bash.  It is our way of saying, "Thanks for taking the time to make the WDK better and participate in the Bug Bash."
    
2. What are the Award categories?  How are they determined.
   When you submit a bug, we first verify it to determine that it is, indeed, an actual bug.  Assuming it is, we then evaluate the type of problem you have reported, and decide whether it is a technical problem or an editorial problem.  Editorial problems are, for example, spelling errors in the docs, repeated words, or non-sensible comments in the code or headers.  Technical problems have more impact than editorial problems.  In any case, OSR are the ones that get to decide which of the two categories your bug falls into.
    
3. Can I get multiple Awards?
   You can get one Award in each category.
    
4. What are the Prizes?
   There will be 2 First Prizes, and 3 Second Prizes awarded.  The prizes are described on the Bug Bash homepage at OSR Online as well as in the Official Rules.
    
5. Suppose I submit 2 really, really cool bugs.  The best bugs ever.  Can I win multiple prizes?
   Nope.  There is a limit of one Prize per person.
    
6. How are the Prize winning bugs determined?
   The criteria we use to rank the bugs are: (i) severity of the identified bug, (ii) impact of the identified bug on those whom the judges deem “typical” Window driver writers, and (iii) correctness of the specified fix.
    
7. Who decides which bugs are best and therefore which bugs win Prizes?
   "A panel of qualified judges" determined by OSR.
    
8. Suppose I disagree with the "panel of qualified judges" and think my bug is better than one that won a prize.
   It is your right to disagree.  Fortunately for us, according to the Official Bug Bash Rules we get to decide who earns the prizes.  If you do not agree with the rules, you do not get to participate.
    
9. I don't want one of my Prizes.  Can you just send me the money?
   No.  But if you really do not want -- or cannot use -- one of your prizes, let us know.  We will be sure to give it to somebody that does want it.
    
10. I noticed that the electronics and media prizes are all US Versions -- I may need a different power cable, and a converter, orthe interface to be in my native language.  How do I get that?
    We don't know and it is not our problem.  The prizes are US Versions.  You are responsible for anything else, including adapters, converters, power supplies, and whatever.
     
11. By what method will I receive my Award or Prize?
    Awards and Prizes will be shipped "Best Way", as determined by OSR, likely via the US Postal Service and not via courier (e.g., FedEX, UPS, etc.).
     
12. How soon after I submit my bug will I get my Award?
    You should have your Award within a couple of weeks after your bug has been approved.  But a lot depends on shipping times to your location.  If you live in a remote Inuit village that's only served by mail boat once every two weeks during the summer months, it could take a while for your Award to arrive.  Try to be patient.  If you get overly concerned, email the Bug Bash team.
     
13. How long does the Bug Bash run?
    It runs for six months, see the Official Rules.
     

Got a question not covered above?  Have other problems/issues/concerns?  Want to know more?

• Check the Official Bug Bash 2010 Rules
   
• Send email to the Bug Bash Team at bugbash@osr.com -- Give us a few days to respond, OK?

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