Re: Apt repository interoperability (was: Bug#311188: Debian edu messed up my Ubuntu system.)
On 21/04/2008, Andreas Tille <tillea@rki.de> wrote:
> So you would like to file a wishlist bug to the Ubuntu BTS that
> users should be warned if they include Debian related apt lines??
> I'm keen on hearing what Ubuntu developers says about this. ;-)
Actually Ubuntu users are very good at installing random repositories
(especially from the forums) and complaining when it doesn't work.
We have lots of bug reports connected to this, especially when
upgrading, but also errors people get from having lines like wget foo
in sources.list.
> > Repositories that look alike on the surface may or may not play nice
> > with each other. They may be binary incompatible. Their maintainers
> > may not endorse (i.e. support) other repositories that are intended to
> > be binary compatible, either. Users who add third party repositories
> > are left to figure out this for themselves. It's as if adding an apt
> > repository is an expert operation; User Beware!
They may be malware too.
> > Apt is an awesome package manager framework. It has a lot of power!
> > But it is a powertool with few safety features aimed at Joe Average.
>
>
> But root is not Joe Average. If Joe Average decided to become root
> he takes over some responsibility. We can't help here if he has
> not read the docs before.
Desktop users are generally roots on their own machines. You can't
install software any other way. Jo Average has to have sudo or her
machine is much less usable.
Our userbase loves to experiment, this is why they are using Ubuntu
rather than sticking with being windows power users. However once you
leave the handholding (and restrictions) of gnome we don't necessarily
have the educational resources to stop them breaking everything
totally. Some of this is the forums, but would a large warning in
sources.list help?
We are good at telling people that windows is unsafe, and most of our
users would never dream of running windows without an antivirus and
firewall, and wouldn't open random attachments etc. However as soon as
they get on 'virus-free' Ubuntu they behave in a very unsafe way.
Condoms for the userbase? People don't know how unsafe installing
random repos is. Maybe it'll take a disease outbreak for the message
to get across (alas).
Caroline
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