Disappointed

[artisan]

Some of the latest updates have a been disappointing. (to say the least)

I have just had to reinstall Ubuntu 10.4 after a cups update.
The latest up date screwed my printer.
I now have the latest Ubuntu 10.4.
Desktop effects cannot be enabled.
Yes. Nvidia drivers blah blah blah.
Yes. Look at this thread blah blah blah.

Hang on.
If I wanted this I would use windows.
The Cups update was automatic.
I cannot print. Unfortunately I use Ubuntu for a works computer. I needed to print. I had to file documents with a court. I needed to print urgently.
Yes I have a USB drive but have not got round to formatting that for windows. So could not just go to a print shop.
So. HP service/printer pack was downloaded from HP.
(Note: NOT USE THE HP PRINTER DRIVERS PACK FROM THEIR WEBSITE.)
They install all the junk ala *******. You end up with a HP icon on the top of your screen with all the associated junk.
So now. It A.M. where I am and am now starting before work to finish off the re installation of Ubuntu and do not need this.
Cups was fine.
I have been using Ubuntu for a couple of years. and then one day. No printer.

Now I have to go digging through forums for threads about enabling Nvidia drivers????
Yes they are downloaded. Yes they are enabled.
No I do not have the time for this.

No. There is something wrong with the latest updates from Ubuntu.
Disappointing.
Nothing more.

Sorry.

[RichardLinx]

It's funny because you're disappointed with a free product. It's Ubuntu, did you honestly expect everything to go as planned? It always screws up, man.

And why you had automatic updates enabled is beyond me...

/semi-jerk

[amsterdamharu]

Being free is not an excuse to screw things up or to have a bad product.

This does teach us to not fully trust every update (there are many similar posts out there mostly sound and video related). To make a copy of your system is as easy as tar it and to recover is as easy as to untar it (don't forget all the hidden folders in home as well as they are your settings).

[Mr. Picklesworth]

That was probably the libusb update that broke your printer (https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/lucid/+source/libusb/+bug/595650). Sadly wasn't an instant fix, but the fixed package is released now.

(Hey, wouldn't it be neat if there was a system that detected when reported bugs affect you — in particular with recent updates — and gave you a message about them? Would save people a lot of trouble…)

Ubuntu could do being cleverer at catering to specific hardware configurations. For example, that broken HP printers mess could have been avoided if we had guaranteed testing on a reasonable number of them. (Looks like a lot were affected, so that wouldn't be unattainable). Some kind of staggered roll-out of that update, based on which hardware it is confirmed to function with, would have helped.

Of course, easier said than done. Computers don't read minds, after all, so nothing can autodetect "printer stopped working." It hinges on there being some really amazing distributed infrastructure for hardware testing, and as it is we don't have the tools.
It's all stuff to work towards :)

[NightwishFan]

I am sorry your experience with Ubuntu has been so poor lately. I humbly ask that perhaps you take the time to help make things better for all, as that is the core value of open source. Do not like Ubuntu? Fix the stuff upstream and help everyone. :)

Now here is the grit your teeth and prepare for the harsh truth counter-rant. To be honest, 'using Windows' is not a fairy magic want to make all the bad hurt things in the world better. I hear good things about Windows 7. ABOUT TIME. It only took them how many years to have an OS be so universally well received. The Ubuntu project is much younger, and has a lot less chips at the bargaining table. I agree, things need work. A lot of things. It is now that perhaps we are on the eve of getting more real use in the end user market (more of a dent at least) that I am seeing how far we really have to go.

I believe in open source and the freedom to use and change and understand something. I believe in that much more than my desire to have things just work for me or be handed to me. No operating system is perfect, no philosophy is perfect. If Windows was perfect no other operating system would exist. It is the imperfections in things we should note and appreciate. In the end all we can do is use what works for us. I mean that.

Now back to the topic. I honestly dislike the 'works for me' approach to handling a plea to the community for help. I also dislike the 'I am disappointed' rants that tend to occur as well. I merely fail to see where you desire this topic to go. Though constructive criticism is welcome and quite necessary, it does not seem to be the case in this instance.

Now if you truly like and respect this project (or not) why not take the time to help make it ascend to the standards you hold it to. Though we can not fix every problem and will not satisfy everyone, there will probably always be someone that Ubuntu 'just works' for. We can continue to make it better for ourselves and others because it is our will and right to, and that is what this is all about.

If you just want a computing experience that suits your needs using Ubuntu, then by all means use these forums for what they were intended! Community support and discussion. I assure you very much of this goes on here, and you are welcome to it.

I apologize to you, and truly wish you the best with Ubuntu and with other works. Good luck and I hope this community can help with any questions you have.

[murderslastcrow]

Hm. Maybe I should hold back on updates for a week or so until this stuff's fixed, if you're having this many issues. I have some of the same kinds of hardware.

... actually, none of my updates have anything to do with hardware related stuff. I'm gonna' run them anyway. Maybe it's because I'm using Kubuntu? Don't all versions get the same updates to non-DE-specific packages?

Anyway, I really hope this kind of stuff isn't happening to too many people. Sorry for your disappointment, wish I could help.

[BuffaloX]

That is strange, both Nvidia and HP are usually considered solid choices.

[artisan]

Sorry I don't have time to reply to all the replies.

Printing.
Er sorry that seems to be a major reason to use a computer? No?

Otherwise we would still be using quill and ink.

Ubuntu is solid.
I like Ubuntu very much. But IF they people running this show want more users.
How about not issuing something as major as Cups when it has not been fully tested.
Ubuntu rocks and the "what do you want for free" argument is...
Invalid.

But I now have to spend time hunting issues with video drivers.
And the rest.
Evolution did not import correctly.
And then I now have drivers to install for sound and video.
I have to use PDF for my work, next will be installing PDF.


The main question is why.
Why was a faulty update on such a major item issued?

(If I wanted faulty products I would get and I phone.)
There is NO rush to issue broken updates that I am aware of.


As for *******. The is no chance I will go back to that bag of worms.

[NightwishFan]

From my experience updates are indeed tested and problematic ones withheld. I assume testing on all configurations is difficult. I myself have had a lot of strange bugs lately so I do not doubt your tale. Perhaps post a topic on each individual issue in the support forums, and when fixed we can describe the problem and workaround in a bug report if necessary.

[artisan]

From my experience updates are indeed tested and problematic ones withheld. I assume testing on all configurations is difficult. I myself have had a lot of strange bugs lately so I do not doubt your tale. Perhaps post a topic on each individual issue in the support forums, and when fixed we can describe the problem and workaround in a bug report if necessary.


Bugs are to be tolerated.
No problem. But Cups?

I have nothing against Cups. And the people who have done the work.
It is that one small bug has lead to the re installation of the whole system.
Again.
It is a computer.
Breakages need to be tolerated.

I do thank the people behind Ubuntu.

I have used Ubuntu for a couple of years now.
My girlfriend uses *******. I no longer help her with her machine. She wants *******. So all the anti virus problems are hers.
All the updates are hers and all the malawre problems are hers. She spends more time running Virus scans than using the machine.
Linux and Ubuntu rock.


But at the end of the day. Why the rush?
Cups was working.
Cups was not working.

It is going to take some man hours to get the system back to where is was.
Like I say.
Now.
Accelerated Nvidai drivers installed and enabled and still not working.

I have not said anywhere that the children of the developers should be murdered in their beds.


Like the title of the thread says.

Just disappointed.

People do use Ubuntu for work and not just a hobby.
Sorry.

[Bachstelze]

The main question is why.
Why was a faulty update on such a major item issued?


Mistakes happen. For everyone. There is over 20,000 packages in the repos. Seems unavoidable to me that you will have one package break occasionally.

[Stancel]

I hear good things about Windows 7. ABOUT TIME. It only took them how many years to have an OS be so universally well received.

What about Windows 2000? That is very high regarded. I know how stable and reliable it is from personal experience. Much better than Vista.

[rjbl]

Some of the latest updates have a been disappointing. (to say the least)

I have just had to reinstall Ubuntu 10.4 after a cups update.
The latest up date screwed my printer.
I now have the latest Ubuntu 10.4.
Desktop effects cannot be enabled.
Yes. Nvidia drivers blah blah blah.
Yes. Look at this thread blah blah blah.

Hang on.
If I wanted this I would use windows.
The Cups update was automatic.
I cannot print. Unfortunately I use Ubuntu for a works computer. I needed to print. I had to file documents with a court. I needed to print urgently.
Yes I have a USB drive but have not got round to formatting that for windows. So could not just go to a print shop.
So. HP service/printer pack was downloaded from HP.
(Note: NOT USE THE HP PRINTER DRIVERS PACK FROM THEIR WEBSITE.)
They install all the junk ala *******. You end up with a HP icon on the top of your screen with all the associated junk.
So now. It A.M. where I am and am now starting before work to finish off the re installation of Ubuntu and do not need this.
Cups was fine.
I have been using Ubuntu for a couple of years. and then one day. No printer.

Now I have to go digging through forums for threads about enabling Nvidia drivers????
Yes they are downloaded. Yes they are enabled.
No I do not have the time for this.

No. There is something wrong with the latest updates from Ubuntu.
Disappointing.
Nothing more.

Sorry.

Nice Rant - probably makes you feel better.

I cannot replicate your experience. No problems with my HL-2150N after any update in the last two months; indeed no issues with any update since Day Zero.

rjbl

[earthpigg]

If you use your computer for mission critical tasks, you should not have auto-updates enabled and unless something is actually broken you should only accept security patches by default.

It sucks that your night got ruined, but I hope you get a good loooong catnap this afternoon.

[Khakilang]

Ubuntu works for me. It has everything I want that is equivalent to Window. But like any product it is not perfect so as a user we report bugs and hope they will fix for future release. I too had small problem with my Lexmark all in one printer. Everything works except for scanning which it hang the Xsane and Simple scan. So my brother took the printer and test it on his Window 7 machine and to my surprise it didn't work either. After going through all the forum I finally decide on using a Virtual box and install Window XP and use it. Even the latest state of the art Window 7 doesn't work on the printer and it is an expensive OS let alone state of the art free software. I rather have free software and face the problem rather pay for something and didn't work.