Why is HAL being made the default when it's not ready?

Dave M G martin at autotelic.com
Fri Oct 31 14:26:23 UTC 2008


Bo, Chris, Bill,

Thank you for responding.

Bo said:
> Um...a friendly piece of advice.  Before addressing developers who put
> together fantastic software that doesn't cost you a dime, you might want to
> get your facts straight.  I bet your left nut that Intrepid isn't the first
> Ubuntu to use HAL.  Even if it were, a little humility and gratitude is in
> order, especially if you upgraded with no backup.
First, it's not that I haven't identified the problem correctly. The 
developers have made clear that the new HAL settings are the problem. 
What I am seeing happen is exactly what is described on the web page I 
linked to before.

Second, I have been a Ubuntu user, advocate, and evangelist since 
Dapper, so while you're right that I let my emotions get the better of 
me and spoke from reactive anger, I do feel a somewhat justified because 
it's like getting burned by a good friend. "Ubuntu gets easier with 
every upgrade" I tell everyone that I try to convince to switch to Ubuntu...

Plus, if you don't have a Wacom tablet, then you don't know what it's 
like to get Linux of any flavour to get it working properly. To have 
come so far, only to be knocked right back to where it was two years 
ago... it's crushing. I was aspiring to be on the forefront of using 
Ubuntu as a graphics environment.

Oh... and as for backups... When I installed Hardy, as far as I can 
recall, my Gutsy entries in GRUB remained, and I was able to boot 
backwards if needed. I assumed that would happen again, so the fact that 
the process that I've been through 5 times before now defaults 
differently is another source of frustration.

So in the end, you're right, the developers of Ubuntu should be 
appreciated for all the hard work they do. But I think they can handle a 
little raw honesty. That's what happens when people care about something.

Bill said:
> The magic is nice when it works.
>   
True. And when it doesn't, all you can do is shake your fist at the wind.



-- 
Dave M G




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