Create a database of already-invited users and don't invite them again

[cole-h]

NixOS/rfcs#39 (comment)

GitHub likes to mess things up, so we should maintain our own database. One downside is that this will likely send another invite to people who have already declined, but this should only be a one-time thing.

[nixos-discourse]

This issue has been mentioned on NixOS Discourse. There might be relevant details there:

https://discourse.nixos.org/t/join-the-package-maintainer-team/3751/42

[hugolgst]

Do you have an idea of what kind of database to use?
I'd be glad to help

[cole-h]

Probably anything would suffice, as long as it is persistent. I was planning to try a SQLite database, though.

[jonringer]

honestly, I think a flat list (which is easy to edit), with a master gate which adds/removes people would work well

EDIT:
just query, the current member list https://developer.github.com/v3/orgs/members/#list-organization-members, do a diff, and add/remove accordingly

[hugolgst]

@jonringer Does this include the members invited but who refused?

[cole-h]

No, just like an actual database, we would have to -- unfortunately -- annoy people who have refused in the past once more (and then they'd be on the "already-invited" list and never invited again).

(I would like to say: I'm glad this is sparking discussion. I was one of the last few to get invited through the script, and it'd be nice to invite more people :) )

[hugolgst]

I'm glad too, can't wait to be invited!

[zowoq]

Could we reuse the existing maintainer list for people to opt out of being invited?

Something like:

  zowoq = {
    email = "..."
    github = "zowoq";
    githubId = ....;
    name = "zowoq";
    invite = false;
  };

[jonringer]

since it's specific to github, I'm not sure what the value of maintainer handle indirection would be.

Their existence in the list would imply their desire to be added/invited. As long as you make it low effort to remove yourself, I don't think people would mind too much in being added

[zowoq]

Do we even need to keep a db/list of already invited users if we give people a way to opt out?

${invites} = ${maintainer_list}-${org_members}-${invite_false}

Just send invites once a week until they remove their entry from the maintainer list or they set invite = false; to opt out?

---

Their existence in the list would imply their desire to be added/invited.

See NixOS/nix#3427

[hugolgst]

Do you think that it could be good from a UX point of view?
Thus a user will have to make a PR to add this parameter

[jonringer]

See NixOS/nix#3427

The list would initially be populated with people already in the team. People would have to manually opt-in, so individuals like him would never receive an email.

For the use case of people leaving... this would be more awkward, we could have a bot list on https://developer.github.com/v3/activity/events/#list-public-organization-events and see if people leave, and have it remove the related individual

[jonringer]

We may also be over thinking this as well. Maybe just have a bot listen for something like a /invite event on an issue, and it will just automatically invite the person.

This removes all need for state synchronization between github and the local data store.

Edit: similar to https://github.com/marketplace/actions/inclusive-organization

[hugolgst]

I agree with you @jonringer but don't you think this will make too much invites to the Nix organization or is it the plan?

[jonringer]

Well with the /invite convention, you could only invite yourself. So it would be limited to one invite per account.

I'm sure there would be ways to abuse this. But I think it would be limited.

[hugolgst]

So we would make a check when /invite called? Or anyone could do it?

[jonringer]

This is getting off-topic. I just threw out the bot as an alternative to doing state synchronization.

If others feel like this warrants more discussion, then maybe we would do it in another thread.

[nixos-discourse]

This issue has been mentioned on NixOS Discourse. There might be relevant details there:

https://discourse.nixos.org/t/adding-tags-to-issues-and-prs-without-write-access/9882/5

[hugolgst]

What's the current status of this ?

[andresilva]

I opened PR #6 with a simple implementation for this.