apport does not specify what personal data it collects and reports

[markling]

apport does not specify what personal data it collects and reports.

So, for example, if you want to report a bug on gedit, you've no idea if it reports your doc content, or with Thunar your file system structure, or session, the names of every document and window you have open, and content. This discourages reporting.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: apport-gtk 2.9.2-0ubuntu8.5
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-35.50-generic 3.8.13.13
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-35-generic x86_64
ApportLog:

ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8.5
Architecture: amd64
CrashReports:
 640:1000:110:8454662:2014-03-12 16:45:40.956435918 +0000:2014-03-12 21:09:31.301023504 +0000:/var/crash/_usr_bin_zathura.1000.crash
 640:1000:110:4090625:2014-03-12 12:19:45.955843925 +0000:2014-03-12 12:19:46.955843925 +0000:/var/crash/_usr_bin_thunar.1000.crash
 640:1000:110:1515814:2014-03-11 18:49:21.854559421 +0000:2014-03-11 18:49:22.854559421 +0000:/var/crash/_usr_bin_xpdf.real.1000.crash
Date: Fri Mar 14 08:56:07 2014
InstallationDate: Installed on 2012-11-28 (470 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Release amd64 (20121017.1)
MarkForUpload: True
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: apport
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to raring on 2013-05-14 (303 days ago)

[markling (markling)]

This on the command line, btw, when I reported this:

Gtk-Message: Failed to load module "gail"
Gtk-Message: Failed to load module "atk-bridge"
Gtk-Message: Failed to load module "gail"
Gtk-Message: Failed to load module "atk-bridge"
:~$
(process:22401): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_slice_set_config: assertion `sys_page_size == 0' failed
Gtk-Message: Failed to load module "gail"

[markling (markling)]

and the process that delivered these error messages (whatever one it was, there's no active apport process, so it's hard to tell, but these were messages delivered to the command line in response to the command ubuntu -bug apport-gtk) has still got the gavel in the terminal window where it was launched. I.e. the cursor is busy. I forced a CTRL-C to get control back.

[markling (markling)]

And would someone please help with this? :

I want to report an xfce4-session bug. But I cannot.

I have 27 gedit document tabs open in 7 workspaces, 5 Firefox windows with 65 tabs, 5 thunar windows/tabs, 4 terminal windows, 4 search windows, 2 x Recoll, 9 x Okular. (Excuse me if I missed anything - I'm quite busy).

I need to report a bug but I am not prepared to send one single document name, directory name, tab name, url, or window content

There is no button I can press that says: "strictly forbid *any* personal data being sent with this report". It might help if a three tier option where given: 1. total privacy; 2. best compromise; 3. Permissive (best report). Give info to the user on this. We are in the dark. Please don't say it's on some website somewhere or its been gone over before in some obscure forum, even this forum. I'm a user. I use the session manager, or try to use it, and I'm ignorant of this important matter because my system neglects to give it any consideration.

So what do I do?

The bug I wanted to report relates to the session described above. Session manager won't let me save the session. And I can't shutdown either.

It says: "Failed to run action 'Shut Down'. Session manager must be in an idle state when requesting a shutdown."

The user has just one possible answer to this statement: WTF?

Trying to save a session gets a similar response (from both parties): "Unable to save session: session manager must be in an idle state when requesting a checkpoint'.

The session manager and shutdown function neglect to tell me what this means, or what I need to do to correct the problem. I have been through every window, to see if there is a prompt waiting for my response (this has been the problem when this error has occurred in the past). But I can find nothing. So what's the problem? My system knows. But it won't tell me. So what am I supposed to do? My only option is to manually close all my open windows (about 35 in all, across 10 workspaces) and then shutdown. That rather defeats the object of having a session manager in the first place.

I would have reported this bug without running 'ubuntu-bug xfce4-session' but the relevant page in Launchpad (https://launchpad.net/xfce4-session) has its bug reporting option greyed out. So what do I do?

[markling (markling)]

More info on the xfce4-session bug.

(Would someone be kind enough to file it, since I have been unable to do so myself?)

I closed down each group of windows, methodically attempting to save session/shutdown each time. The error recurred every time.

Even after closing all open application windows, the session error recurred. I was effectively unable to shutdown the machine and had to switch it off at the wall.

Some notable details:

Firefox would not close manually because it had an active download that had got stuck. It would close after cancelling the broken download. But the session would still not save.

Recoll had crashed. Forcing quit made no difference to the session error.

It was largely impossible to open new programs, even after all open programs had been closed and the desktop was clear.

These programs would not start: gedit, firefox, terminal, catfish, search, Recoll

These programs would start: session & startup, screenshot, volume control.

As you can see, I was forced to switch off at wall.

[markling (markling)]

More on Apport "bug".

Just reporting another bug now, Apport gave me the option of including logs. It said if you include logs they might contain personal data such as username and something-or-other.

This is brilliant. A most welcome and reassuring sign of progress.

The procedure could be improved by automatically stripping out personal data and replacing it with standard names.

E.g. username = user_x
        system = system_x
        all user-created directories given a unique name = e.g. dira, dir z1, dir az1, and so on.

Maybe there are other personal data that could be stripped out automatically too? Perhaps enough that it might be possible for Apport to reassure the user that all personal data has been stripped out?

I guess the same would have to be done with: filenames, user strings, device names...

[Marcus Tomlinson (marcustomlinson)]

This release of Ubuntu is no longer receiving maintenance updates. If this is still an issue on a maintained version of Ubuntu please let us know.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for apport (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]