Re: Bug#426581: meshlab - anyone still working on this
On Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 10:06 PM, Ian Jackson
<ian@davenant.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
> Teemu Ikonen writes ("Re: Bug#426581: meshlab - anyone still working on this"):
> > > After I built it (on lenny), I ran meshlab from an xterm. It opened
> > > an entirely blank override-redirect pale grey window covering the top
> > > left area of my display, as well as the main window. What is that
> > > blank window for ? Can it be got rid of ?
> > I cannot repeat this.
> What is your window manager ? See my mail just sent for more
> information about this.
I run standard Gnome with Metacity. Looking at Paolos mail on this
subject, this may be a bug in QT, or in the window manager you are
using.
> However I have discovered one thing that we in Debian ought to
> consider release-critical: I have discovered that the program prompted
> me that a new version had been released. This is presumably achieved
> by contacting some upstream server to check.
>
> Paulo, is that correct ?
>
> I'm afraid that it is not acceptable for a program packaged for Debian
> to phone home like this and that feature must be disabled before we
> upload it even to unstable.
I don't like this either, but is this really against the letter of the
DFSG, policy or the social contract? On the other hand Paolo
(perhaps?) needs to collect statistics in order to secure funding for
his work. This is a common problem with software written by scientists
on grant money, and I'm afraid the usual solution is binary-only
releases and not allowing redistribution, which then supposedly makes
download statistics somewhat representative of actual usage.
At least when open source software phones home, one has the
possibility to check what information is being sent. Maybe the best
solution would be to have a pop-up dialog asking permission to phone
home, with an "Always allow / deny from now on" option. In Windows
this dialog comes with the firewall :)
> > > If I run the program with --help or -h, it tries to open them as
> > > files. It ought at least to bomb out with a message saying please
> > > refer to the meshlab wiki (with a URL).
> > Upstream.
> If I provide a patch will you incorporate it in your package ? I can
> do it as a bzr branch or an emailed diff, whichever you prefer.
Patches to the packaging are of course welcome. Unified diffs by mail
are probably the least inconvenient option.
Teemu
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