Is Canonical against Kubuntu (2): the bug tracking disaster

[Anton]

Eberhard Roloff wrote:

> Anton wrote:
> [...bug tracking desaster...]
> 
> Anton,
> 
> while this surely is not nice, may I remind you that we are talking
> about free and open source software here.
> 

I know well, this is not the point.

> Afaik you did not pay for it and you also did not pay for support.
> So you can hardly expect to get defined problem resolution timeframes.
> 

If you go on www.ubuntulinux.org

And read:

About Ubuntu 
Ubuntu is a community developed, Linux-based operating system that is 
perfect for laptops, desktops and servers. It contains all the applications 
you need - a web browser, presentation, document and spreadsheet software, 
instant messaging and much more. 
And you read again:
The Ubuntu promise 
Ubuntu will always be free of charge, including enterprise releases and 
security updates. 
Ubuntu comes with full commercial support from Canonical and hundreds of 
companies around the world. 
Ubuntu includes the very best translations and accessibility infrastructure 
that the free software community has to offer. 
Ubuntu CDs contain only free software applications; we encourage you to use 
free and open source software, improve it and pass it on. 

What does this mean for me and others.

1. There is a nice software
2. its free (wonderfull)
3. You are *invited* (more or less) to use it

SO... 
1. if you propose on a big website well known by many people a software 
product to download, then the people assume it will work. They do not assume 
to be invited to *beta test* a product.
2. if you provide a bug tracker telling people to file bugs to improve the 
quality and so on ... then the people think its an active system, they help 
by sending bugreports hoping to help improve the product, and in return to 
profite themselves later by getting some day a software with less bugs.

Its clear (or perhaps not 100%) that (perhaps not all) people working on 
(K)ubuntu are paid for this, doing it in their free time.
But there is a limit somewhere: If I get no feedback/fix or whatever ... if I 
get no answer (even a silly one like "wait some weeks") then I will start 
think that its worthless to comunicate.
And if you provide a bugtracker ... it makes only sense if:
1. people use it to give feedback/file bugs
2. some other people use it to fix

Otherwise it should be clearly stated that this is a *private club*, where 
*you can expect nothing*, and that you should be a *developper* in the areas 
you want to use to fix your bugs yourself.
But the (K)ubuntu says: I am a nice Linux desktop system for anybody (normal 
user) and a alternative to MS Windows (if I remember right).
Anton
> Should you need better support, you might consider to use one of the
> "enterprise linux" distributions that are out there, waitng for you to
> buy them.
> 
> Eberhard