is kpackagekit allowed to break kubuntu??

[ceathruglas]

(Can't find anything similar using search, so here goes - my first posting here, so apologies in advance if soapbox isn't the right place for that kind of open question....)

<Am currently running Lucid>

Last week I got a new gfx card, and started messing about with it and our telly, trying out the latest nvidia drivers, comparing them with nouveau. Found out that during installation, one of the scripts offered to disable nouveau in order to use the latest offering from nvidia. Curious, I used kpackagekit to remove the two nouveau related packages.

Next thing (one mug o’ coffee later) KDE just froze. All other tty terminals weren’t responding, so hit reboot. Surprise, surprise, the kernel image had gone. Breathtaking or what…..

While I was able to restore it using the live CD, and understood that kpackagekit removed all that depended on the nouveau packages, so it being a bug would be debateable!?!

But what’s the rationale behind kubuntu allowing kpackagekit to actually remove the kernel without any warnings? I’m all for letting users retain full control, and have an o/s stay away from nanny-mode, but…

Anyone?

[Snowhog]

Kpackagekit, prior to the version in Maverick Meerkat 10.10, isn't the package manager it needs to be. It doesn't handle dependency issues as well as a good package manager should/does.

Do your self a favor and install either Synaptic or Muon. Both are available, and can be safely installed from, Kpackagekit. Or, you can install either from the CLI.

Synaptic is a very good (currently, probably, the best for debian based Linux systems) package manager. Muon, the 'new kid on the block' is giving Synaptic a run for its money, and is purely KDE based. It too, is a very good package manager.

I myself, always simulate package installs/removals from the CLI so I can see what would happen.

[ceathruglas]

Yep, fair enough.

Maybe I was more worried about newbies getting ahead of themselves :) (and the click-happy likes of me)

I guess something scaled down like kpackagekit (or whatever replacement in the future) is designed to be "easier to use", for Joe Public, but the ability to inadvertently remove the kernel?? Should this even be allowed on a distro like Kubuntu?

As for the superior synaptic et al., yep, let the user destroy whatever s/he wants to on a prerogative ;D

[Snowhog]

The removal of a running kernel, unless specifically requested by the 'root' user, and confirmed ("Are you REALLY sure you want to do this!? Really, really, sure?) should never happen - IMO. In fact, I'd say that removal of a running kernel should NEVER be permitted - by any user, including root.

[jglen490]

I am still in the world of Lucid and am quite happy.

I let Kpackagekit tell me when there are available packages, but I never, never let it actually do anything beyond that.

I routinely run apt-get at the CLI and always run it when KPK makes an announcement.

Sorry you were trapped by KPK's unskillful approach to package management, but that's the "beauty" of Linux --there's always the opportunity to learn something ;D