Hardy: Time for sync project focus and here is how

2007-08-31 Thread Martin Owens
Hi all,

I'm posting this here because that is what some guy in #ubuntu-devel
told me to do to get a better discussion going.

Basically in the launchpad blueprints list there are a few tickets to
look at for existing complete ideas:

https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/ltsp-palm-devices
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/pim-device-sync
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/pocket-pc-support
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/pda-support-out-of-the-box
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/syncintegration

The new idea is to use _all_ the tools we have at our disposal to
engineer a system which will be robust, functional and should be made
to show how god awful syncing on other platforms is currently done.

Tools: OpenSync, Python/Gtk, HAL/DBus, BluetoothTools

The Plan: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PimSyncPlan

Er and yes, hit me over the head with a clue by 4 if I've done some
wrong, guessing how to do this.

Best Regards, Martin Owens

-- 
Ubuntu-devel-discuss mailing list
Ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com
Modify settings or unsubscribe at: 
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel-discuss


Re: Default option for volume hotkeys (speakers/headphones)

2007-08-31 Thread Aaron Whitehouse
> 4) Alter the kernel so that it binds the headphone and master channel
> together. That's how it's handled on various pieces of hardware.

A bug suggesting that this be done can be found at:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.22/+bug/124662

I assume that, seeing as nobody suggested a better solution, Matthew's
method is the best way to proceed.

Thanks for the assistance,

Aaron

-- 
Ubuntu-devel-discuss mailing list
Ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com
Modify settings or unsubscribe at: 
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel-discuss


Re: Non-"critical" bug fixes/new hardware drivers in stable releases?

2007-08-31 Thread Tim Hull
>
> >
> > Backporting changes is risky. Ubuntu makes the decision that security
> > fixes are worth the risk of backporting. If you are talking about
> > changes that are available in later releases, then the affected users
> > are able to upgrade. In my opinion, it is more important that we don't
> > break the machines of people for whom everything is currently fine.



I'm not talking about new features (aside from possibly new drivers).  I'm
mainly talking about bugs that, while not security/data loss bugs, are still
significant annoyances. The HAL bug I mentioned earlier in the thread is the
perfect illustration of what I mean.
-- 
Ubuntu-devel-discuss mailing list
Ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com
Modify settings or unsubscribe at: 
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel-discuss


Re: Non-"critical" bug fixes/new hardware drivers in stable releases?

2007-08-31 Thread Scott Kitterman
On Friday 31 August 2007 20:27, Aaron Whitehouse wrote:
> Tim,
>
> >  While I can see the
> > merit of keeping changes to "stable" to a minimum, it seems like the
> > existing policy of Ubuntu (and many distributions - I'm not blaming
> > Ubuntu in particular) is leaving many users out in the cold with regards
> > to their issues until the next release.
>
> Backporting changes is risky. Ubuntu makes the decision that security
> fixes are worth the risk of backporting. If you are talking about
> changes that are available in later releases, then the affected users
> are able to upgrade. In my opinion, it is more important that we don't
> break the machines of people for whom everything is currently fine.
>
> I would love to see Ubuntu backport all new features to past versions,
> but that would leave little point in having releases at all. It would
> make it nearly impossible to check quality as the system would be in
> continual flux. In order to backport non-critical/security updates, we
> would need people testing those updates - people who could be working
> to make the next releases better. With limited resources, I think
> system stability on past versions would suffer.
>
This is what we have *-backports for.  Each package gets at least minimal 
testing before it's approved for packporting.  I don't recommend activating 
the backports repository for your release and installing everything, but for 
selected packages it can be very useful.

Scott K

-- 
Ubuntu-devel-discuss mailing list
Ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com
Modify settings or unsubscribe at: 
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel-discuss


Should we split codec files?

2007-08-31 Thread Aaron Whitehouse
Hello all,

I am using Gutsy Tribe 5. I was just sent a wmv file from somebody and
was finally able to try the fancy Gnome-app-install multimedia codec
installer.

The list showed me two entries, both of which apparently contain
codecs for large numbers of formats.

It occurred to me that, to play my one file, I was going to have to
install codecs for far more formats than I wanted to play. More
importantly, I was going to have to install far more patent-breaching
files than I theoretically had to. In addition, I have cruft installed
that I don't need.

In the past, it wouldn't have been a great idea to have numerous
packages, as it would make installing them more difficult. Now that
the process is automatic, it makes sense to me that we should enable
the user to install (and infringe patents) to the minimum extent
necessary.

Splitting codecs would also have the advantage that a dedicated codec
package (this is an example, please don't shoot me for inaccuracy)
like fluendo's mp3 decoder would get a fair run in the popularity
contest against the composite packages. At the moment, everyone has to
install Gstreamer-ugly for so many types of file. This means that the
(more legal, as I understand it) fluendo codec never gets installed.
That, in turn, skews the "popularity contest" results when somebody is
deciding which codec to install when their mp3 doesn't play.

We could always create meta-packages with the same names as the old packages.

Does anybody else think that this would be worth the effort?

Am I better to create a spec or to post bugs against gstreamer-ugly etc.?

Thanks in advance,

Aaron

-- 
Ubuntu-devel-discuss mailing list
Ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com
Modify settings or unsubscribe at: 
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel-discuss


Re: Non-"critical" bug fixes/new hardware drivers in stable releases?

2007-08-31 Thread Aaron Whitehouse
Tim,

>  While I can see the
> merit of keeping changes to "stable" to a minimum, it seems like the
> existing policy of Ubuntu (and many distributions - I'm not blaming Ubuntu
> in particular) is leaving many users out in the cold with regards to their
> issues until the next release.

Backporting changes is risky. Ubuntu makes the decision that security
fixes are worth the risk of backporting. If you are talking about
changes that are available in later releases, then the affected users
are able to upgrade. In my opinion, it is more important that we don't
break the machines of people for whom everything is currently fine.

I would love to see Ubuntu backport all new features to past versions,
but that would leave little point in having releases at all. It would
make it nearly impossible to check quality as the system would be in
continual flux. In order to backport non-critical/security updates, we
would need people testing those updates - people who could be working
to make the next releases better. With limited resources, I think
system stability on past versions would suffer.

Aaron

-- 
Ubuntu-devel-discuss mailing list
Ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com
Modify settings or unsubscribe at: 
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel-discuss


Re: new packages freeze policy

2007-08-31 Thread Michael Bienia
On 2007-08-31 00:12:41 -0700, Scott Ritchie wrote:
> On this note, I got completely confused by the deadline.  I read that
> the upstream version freeze deadline was August 30th, so I planned to
> upload my packages on the 30th.

I guess you mixed up UpstreamVersionFreeze and NewPackage for Universe
Freeze. The first was already on August 16th.

> In other words, my package (Wine) is a day late and I'd like it reviewed
> anyway.  Although, Wine has gotten about 3 UVF exceptions for the past
> three releases, so I'm not particularly worried.  It's in REVU now
> anyway.

You are already two weeks late (for UVF) as wine is not a new package.

Regards,
Michael

-- 
Ubuntu-devel-discuss mailing list
Ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com
Modify settings or unsubscribe at: 
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel-discuss


Re: new packages freeze policy

2007-08-31 Thread Scott Ritchie
On Thu, 2007-08-30 at 19:01 -0400, Cory K. wrote:
> 
> Sebastien Bacher wrote:
> > hi,
> > The archive admin members quickly discussed this and the packages
> > uploaded before the freeze will be reviewed (no need of an uvf
> > exception) for this cycle. Soren has updated the wiki to clarify that
> > the packages should be uploaded some time before the freezes and that
> > the archive team can take some extra days to process those
> >
> >
> > Sebastien Bacher
> >   
> This is indeed great news for this cycle, but...
> 
> "packages should be uploaded some time before the freezes"
> 
> If thats going to be the policy, whats the point of the freeze date?
> Maybe moving the date up would be better? "some time before the freezes"
> is rather vague for people trying to work with the proper deadlines.
> 
> -Cory K (Ubuntu Studio lead)

On this note, I got completely confused by the deadline.  I read that
the upstream version freeze deadline was August 30th, so I planned to
upload my packages on the 30th.

As it turns out, the deadline is at the stroke of midnight, UTC.  When
my boss tells me "This needs to be done by Friday," I generally don't
interpret that as "I need this on my desk before midnight on Thursday."

In other words, my package (Wine) is a day late and I'd like it reviewed
anyway.  Although, Wine has gotten about 3 UVF exceptions for the past
three releases, so I'm not particularly worried.  It's in REVU now
anyway.

Thanks,
Scott Ritchie


-- 
Ubuntu-devel-discuss mailing list
Ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com
Modify settings or unsubscribe at: 
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel-discuss