Remove -proposed checkbox in Updates, or warn of 'not stable' updates

[Emilio Pozuelo Monfort]

Today, I've seen a lot of people complaining because of a broken subversion. All of them were using Feisty, and all of them had the -proposed repository enabled. However, they should have had it disabled, since they don't know that repository is for testing software.

Because of that, I believe the -proposed repository shouldn't appear in the Updates tab. If a user wants to enable it, it's because he knows what it is for, and he knows the system to go to his sources.list and enable it.

However, if an end user who doesn't know the repositories well goes to software-properties-gtk, he should be able to activate -security updates, and -updates, but not -proposed. Since some updates to -proposed will be broken, and in case they are Ok, they will get them via -updates a bit later.

So I think the -proposed checkbox should be removed. Or if it isn't, at least a warning should be prompt when users enable it.

[Markon (marco-b)]

I confirm this bug. But I have to say one thing:

I've commented -proposed repo, removed "subversion" using "sudo apt-get remove subversion", then sudo apt-get clean && sudo apt-get autoclean.

I've tried to install subversion, but i received an error, that refers to libsvn1, so I've reinstalled subversion using -proposed repo.

And now I 've this problem. :(

Bye

[Emilio Pozuelo Monfort (pochu)]

Yesterday a lot of people uninstalled firefox and today gnome-panel and ubuntu-desktop, all of them because they were running -proposed and some package hadn't built yet so there was unsatisfied dependencies.

[Christoph Langner (chrissss)]

I wan't to push this issue too. When you help inside ubuntu support forums you often see people who got problem with dependencies. The source of the problem: Enabled -proposed sources. Please move theoption for enabling the proposed sources into it's own subsection an add additional text explaining what these sources are for and that users shouldn't activate them.

[midnightflash (midnightflash)]

The Problems with kernel 2.6.24-20 at the moment are also showing, that this checkbox should be removed, or should at least have a huge red warning.

[Christoph Langner (chrissss)]

Intrepid will come soon and this dialog isn't changed. Is it still possible to add a warning here? I'm quite active inside the german ubuntuusers.de forums and we had MANY user who activated those sources. They all had massive problems with kernel 2.6.24-20. So, at least a warning should be added...

[Christoph Langner (chrissss)]

Let's digg this out. Karmic has gone by and lucid will be released soon. Is it possible to remove the option to add the proposed package sources from this dialog? Over the years many people had problems with kernel updates, subversions or other things because they activated by mistake those sources.

[d4yw41k3r (christian-drewing)]

I also push this issue (hi Christoph). There should at least be a coloured warning text or sth similar to show every user that activating the proposed sources is a "don't do that honey"-option. Surely, on ubuntuusers.de and many other wikis and blogs it is mentioned not to activate the proposed sources, but it should be within the dialogue panel itself, too.

Especially for new (maybe OS switching) users that actually don't really know what could be harmful too their system and what not.

[John Doe (jodo-deactivatedaccount)]

Don't do this. Seriously: you have to enter the Root-password when you're about to change the Package-Sources. You get a message that warns you about the possibility to damage your System.

The Problem is: in the German Ubuntu-Version, Proposed is translated with "Vorab veröffentlichte Aktualisierungen". This means: released in advance (or, if you want so: newer). The description should be changed, but don't remove this completly. There are enough things that has been removed in the past. Its really enough.

[d4yw41k3r (christian-drewing)]

I agree, Thorsten. Sources shouldn't be removed, but I think a warning sign is badly needed.
Gruß Christian

[sem (semitones)]

A warning is definitely needed. In the English language version, as well as
in German, "proposed" sounds like "newer" packages. A new user who's opened
software sources to enable -updates or even -backports is very likely to
enable -proposed as well without knowing that it's for testing software.

I suggest a popup warning, or a hover-text warning at least.

On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 10:34 AM, d4yw41k3r <email address hidden>wrote:

> I agree, Thorsten. Sources shouldn't be removed, but I think a warning sign
> is badly needed.
> Gruß Christian
>
> --
> Remove -proposed checkbox in Updates, or warn of 'not stable' updates
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/152335
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of a duplicate bug.
>
> Status in “software-properties” package in Ubuntu: Triaged
>
> Bug description:
> Today, I've seen a lot of people complaining because of a broken
> subversion. All of them were using Feisty, and all of them had the -proposed
> repository enabled. However, they should have had it disabled, since they
> don't know that repository is for testing software.
>
> Because of that, I believe the -proposed repository shouldn't appear in the
> Updates tab. If a user wants to enable it, it's because he knows what it is
> for, and he knows the system to go to his sources.list and enable it.
>
> However, if an end user who doesn't know the repositories well goes to
> software-properties-gtk, he should be able to activate -security updates,
> and -updates, but not -proposed. Since some updates to -proposed will be
> broken, and in case they are Ok, they will get them via -updates a bit
> later.
>
> So I think the -proposed checkbox should be removed. Or if it isn't, at
> least a warning should be prompt when users enable it.
>
> To unsubscribe from this bug, go to:
>
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/software-properties/+bug/152335/+subscribe
>