Crash reporting is too annoying for the average user
Affects | Status | Importance | Assigned to | Milestone | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
apport (Ubuntu) |
New
|
Undecided
|
Unassigned |
Bug Description
Binary package hint: apport
This was inspired by http://
I'm on Karmic Alpha right now, and programs break from time to time, so I know what I'm talking about. Bug reporting is really rather unpolished as it is at the moment.
First Apport collects data, then sends it to Launchpad, THEN opens the browser with the bug report. Then you've got to check if a similar bug already exists (I usually don't; I haven't got enough time or knowledge to compare all that complicated report data, and the system checks for duplicates automatically anyway), then it requires a comment, even though you don't know what to write - the program just crashed, maybe you weren't doing anything! - and only then the bug is reported. I personally don't mind having to be a registered member of Launchpad, as I am; but that might be annoying to other people.
What I'd like to see is this:
Apport collects data and then, without opening a browser, it presents me with a SINGLE dialogue where all information needed to report the bug is collected:
1) the option to send a compact report for slow connections (this is a nice feature and it should stay)
2) the option to send the report as a registered member of Launchpad (username and password boxes with the option to remember your choice)
a) if so, the option to subscribe to the bug
b) if not so, the option to leave contact information for the developers if I don't mind them contacting me
3) the option to attach a comment about what you were doing, what you think caused the problem, etc.
4) the option to ignore all future errors of this certain problem.
You'll see that everything is an option here; you can just hit "Send" and the default report will go directly to Launchpad. And I see no need for a browser at all! I promise you you'll get a lot more error reports with a system like this.
ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Wed Aug 12 17:19:26 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
Package: apport 1.7-0ubuntu2
PackageArchitec
ProcEnviron:
PATH=(custom, user)
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSign
SourcePackage: apport
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-5-generic i686
description: | updated |
I agree, the current method for crash reporting is extremely annoying. No user should be forced to login in order to report a bug.
I also think that instead of being asked to search through the database, that the bug reporting application should be smart enough that it doesnt require any work from the user.
This is the way apport should function.
Application Y crashes
Apport catches the crash and error dumps and compiles them into a report.
Apport displays two options 1: Send report, 2: Check for Fixes
If user chooses option 1 Apport opens a window with comment field for additional details to be included in report user clicks submit, and apport closes.
If user chooses option 2 Apport searches the launchpad database, finds proposed solutions to the bug and displays those solutions in a list for the user.
If a solution is found:
User clicks solution and tries it, if it doesnt work continues to next solution
If a given solution works:
User clicks a button that says "This Solution worked"
If no solution works:
User is presented with a "none of these solutions worked for me" button at the bottom.
If no solution is found in database:
Apport opens a window with comment field for additional details to be included in report user clicks submit, and apport closes.
This would make fixing bugs so much easier for developers as they would be able to see which solutions worked for which bugs and on what distributions, kernels etc.
Sorry this comment is so long but I wanted to offer an idea for fixing this bug rather than just saying it is there.