Yes, you can: test Kubuntu

Wow, it’s been a long time since my last post! I’ve been too busy to sit down and organize my thoughts into any coherent blog posts, but I think this one is worth my effort.

The problem: I can’t test the next Kubuntu release. The work I’m doing on my PC right now is too important to risk a few days downtime, and a recent drive controller problem meant a near total rebuild of my data, resulting in lost time. Had I not experienced the controller failure I might have tested the new Kubuntu, but alas, I didn’t get a vote in the controller’s decision to lose its little mind.

Here’s where you come in. You can help out the Kubuntu project by testing Kubuntu this week. Next week is the final release of Kubuntu 8.04, which is available in both KDE 3.5 and KDE 4.0 versions. A call has gone out for help in testing the Release Candidates. If you have some spare time and a PC you don’t mind using for testing, please help out the Kubuntu project in my stead.

P.S. — There’s also a request for help in Ubuntu RC testing, if you prefer Ubuntu.

IdeaStorm meet Brainstorm

Inspired by Dell’s IdeaStorm, the Ubuntu qa team has put together Ubuntu Brainstorm.  If you have any ideas for making Ubuntu better, submit your ideas to a single site where other Ubuntu users can vote on them.  The concept has worked well for Dell, so it will likely work well for Ubuntu.  Make Ubuntu better:  start brainstorming!

Flash in Kubuntu 7.10: how to fix it

UPDATE (04/15/2008):  Please read the edit at the bottom of this post.

ORIGINAL POST:

If you’re searching for an answer to why Flash can no longer be installed in your Kubuntu or Ubuntu installation, look no further. The short answer: Adobe updated to a new version of Flash, which broke the Ubuntu package. Discussion has been fast and furious on the bug report for this issue.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that it isn’t very difficult to fix. The other bad news is that Flash will remain broken in Konqueror for other reasons, so it’s Firefox or nothing for now.

Ubuntu updates: we are experiencing technical difficulties; please stand by.

If you’ve gotten an indicator to update your (K)(X)Ubuntu installation with these updates:

• smbclient
• samba-common
• libsmbclient

then you have probably noticed that the update fails. The problem is not with your system, but rather with the updates themselves. The reason, according to Jamie Strandboge:

There was a regression in the Dapper and Edgy packages, and this update has been disabled. We are currently working on an updated package.

… Turns out there were more problems with the patch and all releases have been disabled. Updated packages for Dapper, Edgy, Feisty and Gutsy will be provided soon.

As of a few minutes ago, I was able to successfully download and install the updates, so it appears all problems have been fixed. If you still can’t apply the updates, try updating your package list first (in Kubuntu, click the “Fetch list of updates” button) before applying the updates. If that fails, just be patient and your system should automatically figure out the updated updates eventually .

Update instructions for

• Ubuntu
• Kubuntu

Oh frabjous day! Kallooh, Kallay! (with apologies to Lewis Carroll)

With great fanfare from the entire Ubuntu Kommunity, Kubuntu 7.10 has been released. If you prefer stinky feet to fire-breathing dragons, you can use Ubuntu instead. Don’t forget about the other variants, either! Congratulations to the development team, all the users who performed testing and submitted bug reports, and just plain users who are willing to give any choice of Ubuntu a try on their systems.

Reasons to use (K)(X)(Ed)Ubuntu:

• You won’t be asked if you really want to perform that operation every time you try to do something.
• There’s no DRM: use what you want, how you want, when you want.
• You are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law (see previous point).
• You don’t need a key code, a license sheet, or a phone call to install and use it: that’s a genuine advantage.
• You can try it out without installing it just by using the Desktop CD; install it from the same CD when you are ready.
• It just works.