[RFC] Enabling kerneloops in default install

[Matt Zimmerman]

On Fri, Sep 05, 2008 at 11:29:03AM +0300, Amit Kucheria wrote:
> Instead, I want to propose moving the 'kerneloops' package[1] to the
> default install. Kerneloops ships with a gtk/gnome applet that pops up
> when it notices an oops message and offers to send the information
> upstream.
> 
> Plus
> -----
> 1. Kerneloops will report bugs directly upstream to
> http://submit.kerneloops.org/submitoops.php
> 2. This will help upstream get a better handle on the most critical
> kernel bugs experienced by Ubuntu users
> 3. It will help to dispel the notion that Ubuntu doesn't really help
> with identifying kernel bugs by sticking with older kernels only[2]

I think the general idea of collaborating more closely with the upstream
kernel community by providing testing is a very good one.

> Minus
> -------
> 1. Kerneloops does something that apport is already doing
>     - apport sends it to LP, though. And the bug waits there until
> someone decides to send it upstream.

We aren't actually submitting oops reports to Launchpad using apport yet,
but I think we should.  kerneloops could be modified to do this, so that
we're sharing the same code for watching for oopses, and it should be
possible to write a tool to push these upstream semi-automatically if
they're judged to meet appropriate criteria.

That would give us the chance to review the reports before they're sent
upstream.

> Risks
> -------
> 1. This could backfire if the kernel community does not appreciate
> receiving bugs from Ubuntu's modified kernels.
>      - With the move to 2.6.27 we are (potentially) not going to have
> entire subsystems backported. So bugs in the core kernel would still
> be valid reports.
>      - A majority of our patches are for HW-enablement (new/modified
> drivers) and those are the bug reports that might cause problems.
> 
> Comments on this proposal are most welcome.

I'm very concerned about risk #1 you've listed.  Would it be possible to get
some feedback from upstream maintainers about whether they want these oops
reports or not?

-- 
 - mdz