0014: RFC reviews page and Waiting on you

Context#

The backlog sorts open records by reviewBy. It does not say who has to act. With reviewers in front matter that is known for every record, but the site is static HTML on any host: it has no accounts and does not know who is reading it. People still want one answer: what is waiting on me?

Decision#

A page at /rfc-reviews/ lists the open records that have reviewers, in three groups: In review, Changes requested and Approved. Each row shows the reviewers’ states, the “2 of 3 approvals” count, the people it waits on and the reviewBy deadline. Cards and backlog rows carry a small review chip, and the sidebar and header have an “RFC reviews” link once any open record has reviewers.

“Waiting on you” works without a server. The viewer picks who they are on /rfc-reviews/; the choice is stored in the browser, and every record whose review waits on that handle gets a “Waiting on you” badge. ?me=<handle> in any URL shows that page as that person, so a link in a chat message can open a record as its reviewer; it applies to that page only and never replaces what the reader picked.

How to use it#

Read the page#

Records in each group are sorted by reviewBy, with records without one last and ties broken by id. A deadline in the past is marked overdue; the day count is computed in the browser, as on the backlog. Closed records (accepted, rejected, …) are not listed, and neither are open records without reviewers.

Say who you are#

On /rfc-reviews/ choose your handle from the list of handles used in reviewers, authors and deciders. Records waiting on you then carry the badge everywhere on the site. To share a view, add the handle to any URL:

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https://decisions.acme.dev/sre/rfc/0002-move-on-call-to-follow-the-sun/?me=marek

Clear the choice on the same page. It does not change the build output: the same HTML serves everyone.

Consequences#

• No server and no login: the identity lives in the visitor’s browser and goes nowhere.
• It is a convenience, not authentication. Anyone can type any handle, and the page shows nothing that is not already public on the site. Do not use it to hide records.
• The badge needs JavaScript. Without it the page still lists every record and its states.
• A person who uses two browsers picks their handle twice, or shares a ?me= link.
• Handles not in _authors.yml can still be picked if they appear in a record.