Did your Ubuntu Bug Experience Leave You Feeling Angry or Sad?

[nutznboltz]

My new blog entry:

Are you an Ubuntu Linux Bug Fool? http://tiny.cc/ubuntu-linux-bug-fool

[3rdalbum]

"Fool" is a nasty word. It makes your blog post sound offensive, and the last thing I want is to discourage people from submitting bug reports by calling them fools for doing it wrong.

[wolfen69]

"Fool" is a nasty word. It makes your blog post sound offensive, and the last thing I want is to discourage people from submitting bug reports by calling them fools for doing it wrong.

Yeah, it's no wonder no one has responded to this thread. Bug reports are extremely important to the future of ubuntu. If no one reported bugs, it would be (near) completely unusable.

I know people get ticked off when their "bug report" goes unnoticed, but sometimes a bug is not a bug, but an anomaly of their current hardware configuration. Let's face it, hardware is far from perfect either. To always blame software for problems is ridiculous. And so is telling people they are fools for bug reporting.

At least 3-4 times I was the first person to report a bug, and actually have it fixed. If nothing else, it was noticed and fixed earlier. Someone has to see it first, right? People tend to rely on the other people to fix things, (and that's OK) but it felt good to actually make a difference and become part of the solution.

[vasa1]

... Bug reports are extremely important to the future of ubuntu. If no one reported bugs, it would be (near) completely unusable. ...
I filed a bug recently. Turned out it was a duplicate and a solution/workaround is in place but I learned that only by filing my bug. I know that I should do a background check to ensure I'm not posting a duplicate. Sometimes, it isn't that obvious.
Anyway, there are pretty elaborate (and simple) instructions available (http://askubuntu.com/questions/5121/how-do-i-report-a-bug).

[Lucradia]

I filed a bug recently. Turned out it was a duplicate and a solution/workaround is in place but I learned that only by filing my bug. I know that I should do a background check to ensure I'm not posting a duplicate. Sometimes, it isn't that obvious.
Anyway, there are pretty elaborate (and simple) instructions available (http://askubuntu.com/questions/5121/how-do-i-report-a-bug).

A lot of bugs pertaining to core elements of ubuntu cannot be reported unless you do so via the bug reporting tool on ubuntu itself. Otherwise it's hard work finding a way around ubuntu project's redirection of the "File a bug" link on Launchpad (Which is where you report bugs anyway for Ubuntu) to the "How to file a bug" page on ubuntu.com

[cprofitt]

I would not use the word fool, but it is important for people to know exactly when it is more likley that bugs will get fixed so that they have proper expectations. http://ftbeowulf.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/ubuntu-user-i-have-a-problem/

[Simian Man]

Over 90% of bugs are in the original upstream code. As such, it is much better to file them with the original authors rather than the distro. That way the people who actually work on the software will see them. But first you should test it with the current upstream version as the package may be out of date.

[3rdalbum]

I would not use the word fool, but it is important for people to know exactly when it is more likley that bugs will get fixed so that they have proper expectations. http://ftbeowulf.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/ubuntu-user-i-have-a-problem/

+1.

I do feel sorry for people who report a bug in a no-longer-in-development Ubuntu. In fact, you could say that: "I pity the bug fool!" :-P

[Paqman]

Over 90% of bugs are in the original upstream code. As such, it is much better to file them with the original authors rather than the distro. That way the people who actually work on the software will see them. But first you should test it with the current upstream version as the package may be out of date.

Depends. Ubuntu has automated the bug reporting process quite well. Using apport or the ubuntu-bug command will atach a lot of relevant and accurate information to your bug report. Launchpad will then push that upstream. So you don't have to go direct to upstream and submit it manually, and you may submit a better quality report by going through Launchpad.

[nutznboltz]

Given the so much of the feedback indicates people do not like the word "fool" please offer suggestions as to how to word this your way. Thanks.

[nutznboltz]

I have encountered bug reports opened by people who provide the exact, clean patches needed to fix serious problems but do not recognize there are specific procedures to get a stable release patched. In each case I had to become aware of the bug through unfortunate incidents to myself and/or to people in my immediate vicinity. Naturally it is not a stretch of the imagination for me to think that many other people who I did not encounter had experienced misfortune as well.

Since I do know the procedures, I advanced the existing, stuck bug reports (which I only found about by being harmed by) into successful SRU states.

The fact that so much time goes by with people being harmed while known, good solutions exist for no other reason than the process that Canonical Ltd. uses not being well known is an issue that must be addressed.

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If you were going to produce a complicated workflow would it include elements such as bugs.launchpad.net that does not contain any links or other references to the workflow?

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Given the so much of the feedback indicates people do not like the word "fool" please offer suggestions as to how to word this your way. Thanks.

[nutznboltz]

Given the so much of the feedback indicates people do not like the word "fool" please offer suggestions as to how to word this your way. Thanks.

I'm thinking that my fourth attempt at this will appeal to the emotions of the afflicted.

The title for the blog attempt/forum post of my fourth attempt is tentatively:

Did your Ubuntu Bug Experience Leave You Feeling Angry or Sad?

[nothingspecial]

Done.