Beware: Kernel update sneaks in a couple of extra desktop environments

[matt_symes]

Hi

That script is not responsible for your new desktops unless the folders were already created and populated with debs - unlikely.

As CharlesA pointed out, it's not malicious, rather it's uneconomically written, but you should always think twice about installing anything that is not from the main repositories.

If in doubt, post it here beforehand.

Kind regards

[lykwydchykyn]

Yikes!

I looked at the script and it doesn't seem to do anything bad, but that sure isn't something I would do.

Sets a bad precedent, IMHO. Hello, social engineering...

With that being said, is it even a good idea to use a raring kernel on a Mint system?

Really shouldn't do much damage, unless maybe the OP is running LMDE. Even then, a kernel is mostly device drivers; it doesn't really impact the high-level functiong of the system as much as people think, at least in my experience. I've used backported kernels, custom kernels, 3rd-party kernels, etc. It's usually not a problem unless you forget to enable some filesystem support or some piece of hardware, or if you manually installed a proprietary video driver, etc.

It's not going to put new files in /usr/share/xsessions, that's for sure.

[CharlesA]

Sets a bad precedent, IMHO. Hello, social engineering...

Agreed. Kinda like those gnome-look trojans that happened a while back.

Really shouldn't do much damage, unless maybe the OP is running LMDE. Even then, a kernel is mostly device drivers; it doesn't really impact the high-level functiong of the system as much as people think, at least in my experience. I've used backported kernels, custom kernels, 3rd-party kernels, etc. It's usually not a problem unless you forget to enable some filesystem support or some piece of hardware, or if you manually installed a proprietary video driver, etc.

It's not going to put new files in /usr/share/xsessions, that's for sure.

Thanks. I know Mint is a Ubuntu directive, but I didn't know the details.

[snowpine]

Switch to Ubuntu, It's Better!

[Atitudes]

Hi there!
One very noobish question, I am using ubuntu 12.04LTS with kernel 3.2.0.

As it was said:

If your kernel is working, you have no compelling reason to upgrade.

Can anybody enlighten me about the need to update or not the kernel? I was actually searching about desktop computer overheating problems' and came across some kernel answers, some suspicious, other actually made a lot of sense (perhaps not directly related to my issue) and made me curious.

If someone could have the kindness to guide me through my quest I would be gladly thankful!!

[CharlesA]

Personal preference. I am still on the 3.2 kernel and having no issues with it.

[Atitudes]

Personal preference. I am still on the 3.2 kernel and having no issues with it.

Thanks and +1!
I had so much trouble to make music editing programs working that I really do not want to mess with it (still fighting with QJackCtl and Guitarix lol, impossible to have them working together grrr,
but I do manage QJackCtl with other softwares tho )

Until I have enough time and storage space to backup everything, I wont mess either with my Ubuntu version nor Kernel one as almost everything is working perfectly!!
PS - I hate to get back on W7 @work

[buzzingrobot]

Hi there!

Can anybody enlighten me about the need to update or not the kernel?

If you have a specific problem that you know an updated kernel addresses and corrects, then it could be worth thinking about updating.

I seldom update kernels. If I'm going to see problems with a default kernel, it is probably going to happen very soon after the initial install, or, perhaps, if I add hardware. Other than that, if everything is working fine, I don't see a need to do an upgrade. I wouldn't upgrade just on the vague notion that I might see something better.

There's potentially some advantage from sticking with a release's default kernel because distributions can't guarantee what will happen when their updates are applied to a system modified by the user. E.g., if an update is released that relies on the presence of the default kernel, then someone who has a different kernel needs to be aware of that.

Also, I believe (but it's worth verifying) that the kernels released into Ubuntu's kernel PPA are built to the standard configuration, not to the configuration used to build the release kernels. In theory, at least, that might make a difference.

[matt_symes]

Hi

Also, I believe (but it's worth verifying) that the kernels released into Ubuntu's kernel PPA are built to the standard configuration, not to the configuration used to build the release kernels. In theory, at least, that might make a difference.

The mainline kernels in the Ubuntu kernel PPA are built using Ubuntu's standard configuration but they are not patched using the sauce patches.

Therefore they are vanilla kernels with Ubuntu's kernel configuration.

Kind regards

[lykwydchykyn]

I try an upgraded kernel whenever I have hardware problems; it's worth a try to see if they are improved. Like I said earlier, the kernel is mostly hardware drivers, and better hardware support is the primary reason to use one kernel version over another.

I would point out too, there's really no harm in installing kernels; if it fails, you just reboot and choose your old kernel in GRUB (then promptly uninstall the bad kernel!). You can install all the kernels your hard drive can hold in a single install, and just switch between them at boot.