The program attempts to access the wrong browser

[John Winterton]

Description: Ubuntu 14.10
Release: 14.10
synaptic:
  Installed: 0.81.2
  Candidate: 0.81.2
  Version table:
 *** 0.81.2 0
        500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ utopic/universe amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

While browsing to find out what had happened in a recent update, I clicked on the documentation link to the development site. To my great surprise, the program attempted to open the epiphany browser rather than the default browser (firefox) set up for my system. It would appear that the program files to access the system default browser('s pointer) but uses a literal pointer to epiphany. Not very bright.

This invalidates the links to home sites of software. Needs to be fixed sooner rather than later.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.10
Package: synaptic 0.81.2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-28.38-generic 3.16.7-ckt1
Uname: Linux 3.16.0-28-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.7-0ubuntu8
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Thu Dec 18 16:04:28 2014
InstallationDate: Installed on 2012-10-22 (786 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Release amd64 (20121017.5)
SourcePackage: synaptic
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Adolfo Jayme Barrientos (fitojb)]

Well, that is because Synaptic is usually run as root (instead of as your user account), so it uses root’s default browser. That is not a bug per se, just a consequence of running a program as a different user.

[John Winterton (jwinterton)]

I can count the number of times I've logged into the root on the fingers of one hand. Too easy to slip up and mash the whole ball of wax.

One of the greatest conveniences is the ability to run from a sudo enabled account as it keeps root interactions to a minimum.

This is probably a very simple fix, changing from a hard-coded browser to use the one entabled by the user. Really just a quick hop throught a pointer table, I expect. It would be nice if this got some priority on the wish list.

Synaptic is one of the most useful programs that seems to be denigrated as the system heads more and more towards the mom and pop user. To a certain extent, I both agree and disagree with this approach because I have always believed that "The system is for the end user", but there are categories of end users. I grew up with the industry, starting in 1962, and to a certain extent am pretty conservative.

I expect that a mom and pop user who uses only social network services and e-mail may not care, but then there are the old guys like me (who won't be around much longer) who need to be mollified a bit longer. Computers are still not the same as other "home appliances" no matter what Microshaft thinks.

[John Winterton (jwinterton)]

Description: Ubuntu 15.04
Release: 15.04
synaptic:
  Installed: 0.81.3
  Candidate: 0.81.3
  Version table:
 *** 0.81.3 0
        500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ vivid/universe amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

This is less of a bug and more of a nuisance. When choosing to open the given home web site, synaptic attempts to open the epiphany browser, which is not enabled on my system (I don't need a groupware system). It should use whatever browser is default on the system, and not in supervisor state, either.