Issues with upgrade to gutsy

[marc]

Derek Broughton said...
> marc wrote:

Sorry for the delay in replying.
 
> > I have a number of issues after upgrading from Feisty to Gutsy.
> > 
> > 1. Cannot drag and drop file from the desktop onto an editor. I can drag
> >    from a file manager, but not from the desktop. The cursor turns red
> >    when I try, and action won't be performed.
> 
> I can't duplicate that.  I just dragged a .py file from my desktop into an
> open Kate.

Yup, this seems to have righted itself here somewhere along the line.

> > 
> > 2. Editors launched from a file manager with root privileges no longer
> >    have root permissions.
> 
> Definitely. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/kdebase/+bug/158028
> 
> Unfortunately, I think this is considered a feature.  There are some
> work-arounds given in the bug report.

This has now been fixed. Thanks for the link.

> > 3. If I have apps open with kdesudo privs, log out, then log back in,
> >    the kdesudo apps open with root privileges without being prompted
> >    for a password.
> 
> Haven't seen that (yet).  Old behaviour, ime, was to restart app at
> the "kdesu" prompt - and would open with root privilege _after_ you gave
> your password; which seems correct.

I concur. However, this is still broken, imo.

> However, note that kdesudo is supposed
> to work _like sudo_.  That means that, by default, it remembers your
> password for 15 minutes - so if you log out and right back in, it should
> probably open right away.

I don't agree. I believe that a logout should override the sudo timer 
rule.
 
> >    In addition, a dialogue opens stating:
> >      Information - kdesudo
> >      No command arguments supplied:
> >      Usage...
> >      kdesudo will now exit...
> >    Requiring a click on an okay button to continue.
> 
> So, sounds like it _is_ trying to do the same thing, but not correctly.

Possibly so.
 
> > 4. The kdm screen displays the kde wallpaper and dialogue - which are
> >    horrible. Attempts at retrieving my feisty settings do nothing;
> >    namely, overwriting:
> > 
> >      /etc/kde3/kdm/backgroundrc and
> >      /etc/kde3/kdm/kdmrc
> 
> I know for a fact that kdmrc won't be replaced by an aptitude install or
> upgrade without a prompt.  If you upgraded solely with the adept upgrade
> manager, and it didn't give those prompts, file a bug.  I decided to let
> aptitude replace mine just to see what the new default looked like (I like
> it), which is how I know it prompted.
> 
> Your old ones _should_ be stored in the kdm directory as kdmrc.dpkg-old

I let the upgrade overwrite most things, because I have, hopefully, all 
important config files under version control; so reconfiguring after the 
event is simple.

But not this time.

This problem seems to be related to this bug:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/kubuntu-default-settings/
+bug/132723

It's a real shame as the kdm I had looked great and folk would often 
comment on it in an "Ooh! What's that?" kind of way. But now it looks 
awful and I get "Ugh! What's that?". And it really does look naff.

On a side rant: why do the Kubuntu team persist in forcing their 
"theme" onto an installation at every dist-upgrade? In addition, they 
seem - my perception - to want to make it increasingly difficult for 
users to change the initial look. This to me feels a bit like enforced 
corporate branding and is starting to make me question kubuntu's, and 
thus canonical's, modus operandi. It's surprising how a little bad can 
sour an awful lot of good.

> > 5. Print screen no longer works. Hitting the PrtSc button does nothing,
> 
> Never used it, but I would expect that to be a command shortcut to
> something - so probably related to the next...

Seems to be:

  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/kdegraphics/+bug/132001

Reading elsewhere, it seems that it works on clean installs.

I fixed this by adding an entry to KDE Control Centre/Regional/Input 
Actions.

  Action name: Print screen
  Action type: Keyboard shortcut -> Command/URL
  Keyboard shortcut: Print
  Command: ksnapshot
 
> > 7. Some desktop icons occasionally go out of alignment. This can be
> >    tidied with a refresh desktop or nudging any icon, but it's a bit
> >    naff.
> 
> No idea.

I think that it's something to do with the length of filenames of icons 
that are placed next to each other. So I suspect someone blew away a 
working algorithm due to insufficient tests.

> > 8. I clicked the "strigi" icon in kdemenu - no idea what it is, but I
> >    thought I'd investigate. However, all it seems to do is attempt to
> >    launch firefox, then present an alert saying:
> 
> LOL.  In my case, it opens Quanta - which suggests to me that it's just an
> XML file, and nothing knows what to do with it.  Quite the waste of effort
> if you ask me.

Man, if the thing is dependent on an app, then use the app!
 
> I'm afraid I really don't think there's anything you can do to "fix" these
> things, except #4.  They are either bugs or intentional features.  They may
> get fixed at some later point, but you'll still end up manually redoing
> things like key bindings.

I've removed Kubuntu from my recommended list to corporates - I placed 
it there with Dapper, so this is a disappointment. I'm going to wait 
until the next LTS before re-evaluating, then wait for the next update 
to see whether updates improve.

Thanks for the help.

-- 
Cheers,
Marc