I am not really a member of the core team. I have just been around for a long time, and am component maintainer for the quiz and question bank.
What do I suggest you do?
- Well posting in this thread, and showing that you want to work constructively with the core developers even though they have ignored you for ages is a great way to start.
- You should make a new version of the patch that
- scrupulously follows all the coding guidelines;
- applies cleanly to the lastest master branch from git; and
- if you can publish the change by making it available in a public git repository (https://github.com/timhunt/moodle/compare/MDL-26714_master...MDL-27155_master) then that makes it simplest for core Moodle developers to process. Otherwise, just attach an updated patch to the tracker.
- You could post in the assignment forum, explaining the change your are proposing to make (with screenshots, so people can see exactly wha the change is). If no-one in that forum objects within a week or two, you have a very strong case that the 27 yes votes in the tracker are not matched by an equal number of un-recorded no votes.
Once you have done all that, it will be quite hard for Moodle HQ to ignore you.