[Bug 1904775] Re: software-properties-gtk hangs indefinitely if a single source server is down

[Sebastien Bacher]

How does it prevent users to install security updates? Those are
automatically downloaded and applied in background by unattendeed-
upgrade. Also software-properties is used to configure sources, not to
apply updates, is your issue also impacting update manager?

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1904775

Title:
  software-properties-gtk hangs indefinitely if a single source server
  is down

Status in software-properties package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  Since this prevents non-technical users from installing critical
  security updates and does not give them any useful information, I
  consider it a security issue.

  A single repository server is down and a bug in software-properties-
  gtk will prevent non-technical users to continue installing security
  updates.

  Example:
  The Darktable repository is currently offline:
  https://software.opensuse.org/download.html?project=graphics:darktable:stable&package=darktable
  Running sudo apt update clearly shows that one repository is offline.

  
  When I open Software Sources app (software-properties-gtk) and it starts to “Refresh Software Cache”, I expect the following: 

  - software sources are being refreshed.
  - this might take a little longer than normal.
  - it throws an error and returns to the main screen. 
  - the user can continue normally. 
  In short: it should cope with a server being down. 

  
  The actual behaviour: 
  - refreshing takes forever.
  - Ubuntu throws an error saying it hit an error, asking to send the report about software-properties.
  - I have to manually force close the loading screen. 
  - I can close the main window of software-properties.
  - when I launch "Software Sources" again, I get an empty square window. 

  This should not happen when a server happens to be down.

  Running sudo apt update clearly shows that one repository is offline.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
  Package: software-properties-gtk 0.98.9.3
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-54.60-generic 5.4.65
  Uname: Linux 5.4.0-54-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.12
  Architecture: amd64
  CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
  CurrentDesktop: Budgie:GNOME
  Date: Wed Nov 18 19:59:49 2020
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2020-11-18 (0 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Budgie 20.04.1 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20200731)
  PackageArchitecture: all
  SourcePackage: software-properties
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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