How many still using Dapper and why?

[andrew.46]

Hi,

Just checking to see if there are many Dapper hold-outs still around as the countdown continues to Gutsy Gibbon?

I downgraded from Feisty to Dapper a while ago after the DeVeDe Mencoder debacle, which I gather remains unfixed, as well as multiple problems burning cds / DVDs under Feisty. Both of these problems fixed under Dapper.

Only problems I have had with the downgrade was that I needed a newer version of autoconf and automake for the cvs slrn, otherwise I have everything I need on a supported system (until 2009).

Any others in my situation?

Andrew

[metallicamaster3]

Actually, I use Dapper Xubuntu on one of my server machines. mainly, I chose to use it for the fact that it runs A LOT more stable than Fiesty did.

[tigerpants]

That's ironic, I just made a thread about anyone heading back to dapper :)

Installed it last night. Works like a dream.

[Hallvor]

I still use it. It has all the functionality I need and it is very stable. Usually runs day and night until one of the kids press the reset button... I`ll keep it until the next LTS.

[metallicamaster3]

For some strange reason, Dapper runs well with Dual CPUs (dual P4 HT @ 3.06GHz) and even Quad CPUs (dual P4 HT @ 3.06GHz, & Dual PIII 1GHz, both socket 370). Fiesty however, seemed to only use one P4, no matter what I did to it.

Another big reason I stuck with Dapper on that machine

[rubinstein]

I also use Dapper. It is stable, I know its quirks, it has all the important functionality that I need. I may install Gutsy in autumn, have to test its stability then.

[Zimmer]

Dapper works on my machine, why change?
If I bought a new computer I would start by installing the latest Ubuntu release on it in the hope it would be best to support the latest hardware on it.
No plans to upgrade this one until the lifecycle of Dapper LTS is over.

[andrew.46]

Hi,

Read your post with interest:


Actually, I use Dapper Xubuntu on one of my server machines. mainly, I chose to use it for the fact that it runs A LOT more stable than Fiesty did.

I am glad to hear my own thoughts confirmed!! A lot of people claim that there is no greater stability in Dapper, only long term support, but my experience has told me that there _is_ greater stability.

I have installed some more modern software (compiled) as well with no great problems on my Dapper system. This includes Vim 7.1, mutt 1.5.16 and slrn 0.9.8.1pl2.1. So the doors are not closed for modern software on an older version.

Andrew

[slipperhead]

i plan on using dapper until the next lts as it is the only version that will work on my old laptops (dell cpt and toshiba 320 cpt) . feisty and edgy gave the cant access tty error.

it does all i need anyway

[handy]

My main machine experiences a keyboard timing problem when Edgy, Feisty or Sabayen 3.4a is installed. To use these OS's I have to turn off key repeat & live with the lag that remains. I did that for a couple of weeks with both Edgy & Feisty before returning to Dapper both times. Right now I'm in Sabayon & loving it, so we'll see how long I can put up with the lag this time. I'll probably hang out as long as possible & then buy a new m/board & whatever else needed to suit it.

Troublesome motherboard: Gigabyte GA-K8NS Ultra-939

Is otherwise hardware is faultless! :confused:

[Dragonbite]

I'm still using it and probably will until I have a good backup I like. Plus I just got a new(ish) computer so I'm doing the "upward shuffle" (most powerful one to my wife and I, move the kids into the next most powerful and see about giving the old, slow one to my brother-in-law ;) )

[Steve1961]

I'm running Feisty on my own Desktop and laptop but I keep Dapper on two old desktops that my kids use for homework and the like. My wife also runs Dapper on her laptop and won't even entertain the idea of upgrading (it took a long time to convert her to Linux and now she knows her way around Dapper she's quite happy with her setup as it is).

[andrew.46]

Hi,

Which reminds me: I have just cleaned up my Dapper web page and would love either constructive or destructive criticism:

http://people.aapt.net.au/~adjlstrong/dapper.html

Still needs a little cleaning up :-)

Andrew

[urukrama]

I use Dapper exclusively. I started using Ubuntu in the Breezy days, and upgraded to Dapper when it came out. It is very stable and does everything I want, so I never really saw a reason to upgrade to Edgy or Feisty. I played with Edgy on a computer once, but preferred Dapper. I've (re)installed Ubuntu on several computers, and always go for Dapper.

If I want newer versions of applications in the repos, I don't mind compiling them from source.

When Gutsy comes out, I'll probably continue using Dapper, and wait for the next LTS.

[NJC]

I'm using it because it's a LTS release - I want stability over features. And Lord knows I've spent enough hours tweaking and configuring and fixing 6.06 so I need no more headaches with newer releases.

[Incense]

I use Dapper because I just have not seen the need to upgrade. Dapper is barly a year old, and does what it does very well.

[Quillz]

I was never able to use Dapper on my Dell notebook computer because it never played nicely with Wi-Fi. Feisty Fawn does much better with Wi-Fi, though. I suppose I'd likely still be on the LTS if this issue had been improved, though.

[qpieus]

I am. When edgy and feisty came out, I didn't feel like messing around with a perfectly running system. Why mess with a good thing, right? I recently developed some weirdness with wine that I can't figure out, though, so I might be re-installing with the newest version.

[eggdeng]

I really think that ubuntu reached maturity with Dapper, the slickest, most versatile and stable linux distro I've come across.
I tried Edgy on a couple of other boxes but found it a bit garish and buggy especially as regards usb / wireless.
This week, I downloaded sabayon 3.4 to see how a gentoo based distro and the new KDE behave, but it will take something major to make me want to change.

[Motoxrdude]

I never used edgy when it came out because it was too unstable (at least on my computer) so i stuck with dapper for awhile until feisty herd 4 came around and i used that and still do.
I do however run dapper on my media pc. It plays movies, music, and the radio like a dream on my home theater setup. It has been running without a problem since day one so i don't want to switch to edgy or feisty. If it aint broken, dont fix it.

[FuturePilot]

I still use Dapper on my laptop because of its stability and because Feisty freezes it up all the time....

[balaram]

I'm running it on five computers, all have been working smoothly and doing everything I want to do. I can go weeks without re-booting. At this time I see no reason to change. Eventually though curiousity will get the best of me and I'll start tinkering with whatever is the latest version at that time.

[AlexenderReez]

my university still use dapper as main system for study....i think they want to wait next lts version:)

[C.A.T.S. CEO]

I tried using Dapper on my iBook G3, but it didn't like the wireless and it felt a little fugly, I put Feisty on it and it works like a charm :D

[~LoKe]

No serious problems with Gutsy, here. I've been jumping into the pre-alpha distros since Dapper, but I think I'll just stick to Gusty until the next one is official. While there have been only a few...inconveniences...it's not terribly worth it for someone like me.

Also, I've been converting and burning DVD's the same way since Dapper, without any issues.

[Incense]

If Dapper were not an LTS release, but it was built as stable and wonderful as it currently is, do you think you would still be using it?

[iPower]

never updated one of my pcs

[bikeboy]

Still using it on my server. Likely to wait for the next LTS (8.04) to upgrade, even though there are some newer things I would like. It works, so I'm not changing.

[urukrama]

If Dapper were not an LTS release, but it was built as stable and wonderful as it currently is, do you think you would still be using it?

yes

[Barney]

Over a year ago I put Dapper on my 85 year old Mom's computer, made the desktop appear like her previous Win XP Pro, and thought that I should keep Dapper on my PC in case I might ever have to help Mom with problems over the telephone, as we often had to do with Windows. No problems have developed for over a year.

The LTS must mean something.

Looks like me Mum and me will stick with a good thing, until the next LTS version.

[some_random_noob]

I'm also waiting for the next LTS version (H-H). I use Dapper on my main computer and also on my server. Because it's all I need currently.

[tgalati4]

I loaded 6.06.1 on a Dell GX620 (Pentium D, 3.4 GHz) and installed 154 updates in one shot. In less than an hour. One reboot and I had a working system.

Booted into Windows XP Pro (to check to see if the original OS was still functioning). First thing I had to do was reboot because the Dell Optical mouse driver needed reloading.

Dapper is definitely a keeper. I had 165 days of uptime on one of my machines.

[dppowell]

Using Dapper on a Dell Inspiron 600m notebook. The result is that this is the first Linux system I've ever used which didn't feel like a perpetual project machine, and I really like that. Dapper makes my notebook feel like a notebook, not a hobby platform (not that I mind hobby platforms, but I don't like relying on one to get work done).

[getaboat]

Fiesty on my main personal computer - its had its moments but is generally OK. I like Fiesty.

Dapper on the communal PC (this one!) - stable - USB device support seems better than Fiesty. I won't consider an upgrade until the next LTS has been out while.

Edgy on my sons PC has gone belly up and looks to need a full re-install.

I am about to set up my 1st Ubuntu "server" - that will be Dapper.

[malspa]

I still have Ubuntu Dapper on my main PC (along with Mepis and PCLOS), and I still have Kubuntu Dapper on my notebook. I liked the LTS idea and decided to ride it out, see how things go. Fine so far!

[andrew.46]

Hi,

Can I say, as the original poster, that I am having a few doubts. Problems and shortcomings I have seen that have been a little limiting with Dapper have been:


automake and autoconf are too old for much cvs / svn software. I have had to compile newer versions.
The Dapper oggenc does not have large file support. This has been compiled in to the Feisty version.
The Dapper lame chokes on large files. I have had to compile a newer version.
OK I am tiring a little of this old version of Firefox :-)
The version of SoX in Dapper is old an broken. I have compiled version 13.0.0 (after failing with 14.0.0)


I seem to doing more and more compiling of newer software to accomplish things I need to do. So perhaps I might be tempted next month when Gutsy arrives .....

Andrew

[malspa]

Well, I would add that my computer usage is much more basic than many of you here. For example, andrew.46, four of your five points I don't know much, if anything, about! And as for #4, the old version of Firefox.. yeah, it's old, but I don't mind it, because the only thing that's missing that I use on newer versions are the "close" buttons on the tabs.

So perhaps for less-advanced users like myself, Dapper's still perfectly fine. Just keeps on working, no problems.

[Pankrat]

As long as you can live with the package versions installed and your hardware is supported, Dapper is fine.

I used to download Debian packages from the unstable branch or source packages and compiled them myself on Dapper, however, like andrew already said, one ends up compiling more and more "by hand".

The main problem I experienced is that most programs have dependencies which are not met on a Dapper system, therefore most of the time I wasn't able to install deb packages. Installing from source might be ok as long as you don't have to install a whole bunch of dependencies from source, too. And when software modules use an alternative build system (which is a good thing, though) and the configure,make,make install does not work, one has to take the time to read installation instructions (ever tried aap? ;)) for every little software that must be installed.

Today I upgraded my work machine from Dapper to Feisty after suffering a lot of installation overhead, or messing with software bugs which are already fixed in recent Ubuntu versions. Let's see how hard the transition really is...

[montres]

I still use dapper. I am a relaively new linux user (as of february 2007). I have spent a lot of time to make certain things on my system to work the way i want them to. I guess i won't risk switching to a later version untill there is a compelling reason to do so.

[eggdeng]

OK I am tiring a little of this old version of Firefox
I have been using 2.0 on Dapper for 6 months or so, all plugins working.

[Dragonbite]

Some people enjoy having the "latest and greatest" version available but usually by the time I get around to installing the latest version I have, the next one has already come out!

Case and point, I just installed Feisty and Gutsy's coming out when?... next month?! Oh well.

I am glad that Ubuntu has the LTS version as well as the "cutting edge" versions.

If I was to set this on a server (like I'm trying to set up Feisty) then I don't want to change this very often and RedHat understands this which is why they have a longer time between versions (18 months?) while Fedora is updated more frequently.

Is the next LTS version coming out this April (2008)?

[K.Mandla]

My parents are still using Dapper on their computer. No reason to upgrade, really. They're both happy with the way Dapper works, so change is unnecessary to them.

[Dragonbite]

Ok.. scratch that part about me using Feisty.

Turns out Feisty didn't like to play nice with my Modem (for internet) and eth0 for clients. I didn't think too much of it when gCompris (and possibly other programs) did not install properly but being unable to connect to the internet is too much.

So I installed Dapper over Feisty and after replacing the faulty CD with a couple corrupt files (only faulty CD I've gotten from ShipIt so far) it installed without issues, installed all of the programs and I was able to connect to the internet even when using the server via a thin client.

Unfortunately Feisty made it very easy to install proprietary binaries and codecs but this isn't a show-stopper for me (once I get Synaptic updating). I'll have to figure out how I want to install which manually I guess.

Now I'm thinking I'll use Dapper until the next LTS comes out. I'm thinking Canonical may be on to a smart setup.

[bruce89]

I find it rather ironic how most people use Dapper[1] and some moan how Firefox 2.0 should be ported to it. Seems rather oxymoronic.

Dapper appears to have over 2 times as many installs as the others combined, which seems crazy to me.

[1] http://ubuntucounter.geekosophical.net/

[Incense]

What happened to the 6.06.2 release? I thought I read that was coming down the pipes near a month ago.

[nowshining]

couldn't u guys just use firefox from mozilla themselves ubuntuzilla does it for u? then u could upgrade more easily :) unless I am missing something here.