Will Rekonq be Updated for the LTS?

[OneLine]

https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/kubuntu-devel
--> rekonq 0.9.2. SRU? : https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ku...ay/006124.html
&
--> rekonq 0.9.2 for precise testing: https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ku...ne/006180.html

Harald Sitter
Fri Jun 8 22:55:58 UTC 2012

rekonq 0.9.2 for precise will shortly be available in
ppa:kubuntu-ppa/ppa for pre-SRU testing.

I looked at the diff and most of the changes are either of
documentation/l10n nature or fixing regressions in .1, so I am going
to try get it through SRU verification for precise. Any preliminary
feedback is thus greatly appreciated.

HS

The SRU is: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/StableReleaseUpdates

Once an Ubuntu release has been completed and published, updates for it are only released under certain circumstances, and must follow a special procedure called a "stable release update" or SRU...

When the Kubuntu 12.10 is out there is an opportunity to make a backport request: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuBackports

What are Backports

When Ubuntu releases a new version of its OS every 6 months, that release is largely frozen in time. While the software that is part of that release will get bug fixes and security patches, new major releases of software and the new features that come with them will not be available.

That’s where Ubuntu Backports comes in. Backports offers a way to selectively provide newer versions of software for older Ubuntu releases. Most commonly, the Backports team will provide new versions of standalone applications which can be safely updated without impacting the rest of the system...
...
Requesting New Backports

If you would like to request a new backport, please see our documentation on the backport process.

[SteveRiley]

Do you have more information about this PPA? How safe is it? I would like to learn more about what is adds, sounds like a good way to keep a LTS up to date?

Sumski is a long-time member of the KDE community and is a regular participant on KFN. I've been using packages from his PPAs for many months without incident. I'd say he's trustworthy.

[claydoh]

Do you have more information about this PPA? How safe is it? I would like to learn more about what is adds, sounds like a good way to keep a LTS up to date?

Thank you

Asa PPA is a personal package archive, you have to trust the source. most kubuntu updates begin in their ppa's before making it into the regular archives if that is where they are intended to eventually be.

http://claydoh.com/kubuntu-and-its-repositories/

Sent from my phone

[Stosskraft]

The KDE Goodies PPA contains updated versions of several KDE/Kubuntu applications. For example, rekonq-git was just compiled today.

Do you have more information about this PPA? How safe is it? I would like to learn more about what is adds, sounds like a good way to keep a LTS up to date?

Thank you

[sumski]

They (Rekonq devs) tend to bump requirements as soon as they can. For 0.10 (1.0?) this will probably be KDE 4.9.x, and hopefully not QT5. So that will give as the chance to use Rekonq alongside Kubuntu backports PPA.

[wrender]

I agree that Rekonq being updated for the full life span is unreasonable.

Though I think it would be reasonable to update Rekonq to a 1.0 release state that is solid as you mentioned without requiring the user to backport it. Beyond that it makes sense for it to evolve past and leave behind the current libs/dependencies that ship with KDE 4.8.x to keep up with KDE mainline and future Kubuntu releases.

What do you guys think?

[mdye]

Sigh. Naturally. Well, that clears that up I guess - thanks!

[SteveRiley]

And while on the topic - and excuse me if I'm posting in the wrong thread - has anyone had any issues with Rekonq and cookies? Specifically with Facebook, of all things. It seems that every time I click on a link in FB it logs me out

Known bug; fix will arrive in KDE 4.8.4.

http://forum.kde.org/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=101924
https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=299590

[mdye]

Hey I don't know if you guys have tried Firefox or Chrome/ium on a Gnome system, but, the truth is, neither Google nor Mozilla care much about *any* toolkit, and that includes GTK. Neither of them integrate very well with GTK in general, nor have either of them updated to GTK3. Both, to varying degrees, look out of place in a GTK2 environment (Firefox has odd quirks that pop up from time to time and Chrome refuses to use GTK scrollbars and looks like something left over from 2005.) In my experience, I have yet to encounter a good web browser that integrates properly with Linux - either it's good and sticks out (Firefox, Chrome/ium) or it looks good in the particular environment - uses the toolkit, etc. (Epiphany, Midori, Rekonq, Konqueror) but is, to varying degrees, terrible.

And while on the topic - and excuse me if I'm posting in the wrong thread - has anyone had any issues with Rekonq and cookies? Specifically with Facebook, of all things. It seems that every time I click on a link in FB it logs me out. The issue is lessoned somewhat if I set my browser identification to the latest Firefox version, but it still does it randomly and is incredibly annoying. I'm giving KDE a go again after months and months of exile in Windows land (shudder) - I'm loving KDE in general (every release has improved the user experience). I'm a bit annoyed that Rekonq is suddenly having problems with this and this bug went to print. Just to make sure, I went back to the live image on my USB and it had the same problem. What gives?? Anyone know anything? :-)

[vw72]

Heh


Yeah, I'm very happy with it. It does mystify me, though, how variable it can be. For instance, I have no problems viewing Flash videos. Yet others, who've set it up exactly the same way, can't see anything other than an empty black box.

I wonder if the flash problem has to do with where their flash came from (ie. kubuntu-extras, manually installed, medibuntu, or some other ppa). My rekonq-git also plays flash just wonderfully, also.

[SteveRiley]

On a side note, I am really upset with you, because after moving everything I do over to Opera, then you tell me about the rekonq ppa and now I'm moving everything again! Just kidding of course (about being upset),

Heh

but I must say it is too bad the rekonq-git version couldn't have been ready in time for 12.04. It just simply works!

Yeah, I'm very happy with it. It does mystify me, though, how variable it can be. For instance, I have no problems viewing Flash videos. Yet others, who've set it up exactly the same way, can't see anything other than an empty black box.

[vw72]

Sumski, the maintainer of that PPA, is a long-time member of the KDE community. The packages are pulled directly from the KDE Git and compiled. I have no reason to imagine that these are unsafe.

I didn't mean to imply that the ppa is unsafe. I was only using the original poster's language. I was only disappointed that I hadn't hear about the ppa before stumbling upon it in your post. Maybe KFN should have a place to post useful ppas.

On a side note, I am really upset with you, because after moving everything I do over to Opera, then you tell me about the rekonq ppa and now I'm moving everything again! Just kidding of course (about being upset), but I must say it is too bad the rekonq-git version couldn't have been ready in time for 12.04. It just simply works!

[SteveRiley]

It will be updated, without having to enable a custom non safe repo. It will require the official backports repo to be enabled. If you do enable the so called non-safe "goodies" repo, it uses a different package name for rekonq to avoid conflicts.

Sumski, the maintainer of that PPA, is a long-time member of the KDE community. The packages are pulled directly from the KDE Git and compiled. I have no reason to imagine that these are unsafe.

[SteveRiley]

Any of the ones that allow you to save you-tube videos are quite popular also.

Check out Minitube and something called youtube-dl. They aren't browser plugins, but they accomplish the same thing. The latter works at the command line, and sucks down the real video file buried within the FLV.

[vw72]

The venting is at the situation that has no available solution to a problem which is is a primary usability issue to an end user.

Use Rekonq which may or may not be updated to be a solid program. If you want a solid version use a custom non safe repo.

Use Firefox which has an actual shortcut to install the browser built into the interface by default but has zero integration(what is the point then?).

Use Chromium which almost works but doesn't have an option to directly open downloads (Try explaining this to average joe why he can't)

Use Opera which does have integration but is a closed source program and takes some playing with to make cozy for the common person that uses Firefox on windows/mac at home/work. Also the odd random sites seem to display "differently"


All I am pointing out is that for a "recommended" LTS release this primary usability issue seems like there is no formal addressing. Instead it is random Kubuntu users realizing and scrambling to figure it out for themselves. Yes cooperation probably needs to happen within the developers of the browsers communities. But where does that communication best originate? Perhaps an official inquiry from people that make up the contributing Kubuntu community is better suited than a random user like myself post release?

At the end of the day it doesn't matter. But to the average end user neither will Kubuntu if they have to finagle to have a proper browser. If the goal is to create a friendly easy to use distribution then that is the "real issue." I would rather reflect this in the forum/community towards something positive. If there is a petition to sign I'd be more than happy. If there is a random browser forum thread where kubuntu users can +1 a vote/comment. Let me know. But till then If one can't openly discuss problems dealing kubuntu here what is the point?

I definitely empathize with you on your frustration, but it doesn't change the fact that it is Firefox not supporting KDE that is the issue. It makes sense from their point since the two largest distros Ubuntu and Redhat/Fedora are Gnome based. But at the same time, from a programming perspective, they could have built in the hooks so it would have worked with anything.

As for explaining this to the average Joe, it is quite simple: Firefox/Chromium/Chrome choose not to support KDE and if you want to use one of those browsers, you are going to manually have to make some configuration changes. Yes, it sucks, but unless those browsers want to support all users, it won't change.

Opera is a good alternative, except most distros won't ship it as it is closed source. The company, though, is very open source friendly and works with the open source community to ensure compatibility, etc. As for sites that don't display correctly, usually it is because they are coded for a specific browser out of Redmond, WA or with tools for that browser. Opera is always touted as the most standard compliant browser available, but if web designers don't follow the actual standards, then pages might not display correctly.

Finally, there is rekonq. The version shipped with 12.04 is not the latest. It will be updated, without having to enable a custom non safe repo. It will require the official backports repo to be enabled. If you do enable the so called non-safe "goodies" repo, it uses a different package name for rekonq to avoid conflicts. The current release version is 0.9.2. The current git version is 0.9.57. I have not used 0.9.2, but I am using 0.9.57 and it is rock solid.

At the end of the day, it really does matter. But unless we focus on what the real problem is, we can't solve the real problem. The real problem is two-fold. First rekonq is quite ready for prime-time, close but not quite there yet. The second is that the alternative browsers from the Windows world, while supporting Gnome, do not really support KDE. To solve the problem, KDE developers can either expend limited developer resources making rekonq ready for prime-time or expend those resources making the other browsers work with KDE. A third option, outside of KDE development, would be for KDE users to lobby those other browsers to support KDE as that is where the integration should really come from (for instance Microsoft doesn't integrate Firefox into Windows, nor do the Gnome developers integrate it into Gnome).

But all of that said, it still is frustrating, whether one uses Kubuntu or any number of KDE distros.