Are testing packages becoming less stable

Roken · 2016-08-27 18:32:20

OK, I've already posted about my problems with the upgrade to dbus preventing a useful X session (I can get there in the end, but there are issues).

And now nvidia. 370 kills blender if cuda is enabled (and segfaults on system settings, so the only way to disable is to overwrite blender's startup file with a vanilla). It kills Trackmania in wine, and until yesterday, it killed compositing (though I can get that working now, but blender, TM, and the whole X issue are deal breakers).

I have around 10 packages on my ignore list now (most NV, and two dbus), having downgraded to useable versions. I expect NV will come with an update soon, but the dbus issue, I have no idea. (problem here https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=216001).

Now, I don't mind holding upgrades back for a short while whilst other stuff catches up, but dbus has gone on longer than expected, and nvidia is 3 sub versions on from the problem.

And yet, I seem to be the only one with problems. What's going on?

Last edited by Roken (2016-08-27 19:35:08)

jasonwryan · 2016-08-27 19:13:21

Please change you thread title to something less trollish. You admit you are the only one having issues, yet you posit that the whole repo is to blame. If you want help, try a more constructive approach; the whole point of enabling testing is to help catch issues, not whine about it.

Roken · 2016-08-27 19:36:57

I've changed the title, though it was never meant to be at all trollish, and I apologise if it came across that way, and whilst I can honestly say I'm the only one that has reported such issues, I cannot categorically say that I am the only one having such issues.

For the record, this is only in the past month, and I don't blame Arch, since any problems are likely to originate upstream

EDIT: I've posted bug reports to both upstream

EDIT 2: And for the record, your reply of "Works for me" in my linked thread was hardly helpful!

Last edited by Roken (2016-08-27 19:52:01)

frank604 · 2016-08-27 20:07:00

Just an opinion: when you come across deal breaking bugs and upstream bugs are reported, what's stopping you from disabling testing report and downgrade all packages to sync to stable report until upstream fixes get traction? In other words, why torture yourself?

loafer · 2016-08-27 20:15:02

I've used testing since 2009 and my personal experience is not one of increasing instability. I have not had to raise a bug since 2012.

brebs · 2016-08-27 20:21:57

Roken wrote:

And yet, I seem to be the only one with problems. What's going on?

No you're not. People have problems with almost every nvidia version

What you're seeing is the normal situation that distro packagers *expect* - new software contains bugs, and breaks in random ways. Normal binary distro users are shielded from the vast majority of these breakages, because they get fixed before entering the distro proper.

Roken · 2016-08-27 20:32:16

I've been on testing since around 2012 myself (though oddly, if I try to date my system it tells me 2008 - but Arch is probably around 2012) and I haven't had an upgrade problem that hasn't been fixed by a further upgrade within a few days. Since I switched from AMD to NV, I haven't had a single NV bug until now. I have never before had a dbus problem, and so to get both at the same time is worrying.

My main concern is ignoring upgrades on testing, since I am likely to quickly lose functionality, or even my system, as other packages upgrade. I keep an eye on what's upgrading, and a closer one on my ignored packages, and it's just as well this month.

I'll reiterate, this is not a criticism of Arch. Perhaps I've become complacent, since it has, by and large, been rock solid for 4 years.

brebs · 2016-08-27 21:16:11

If you've had fewer problems previously - great, but that's just luck.

Expecting stability, in a "Testing" repo, is doomed to failure.

Arch Linux

#1 2016-08-27 18:32:20

Are testing packages becoming less stable

#2 2016-08-27 19:13:21

Re: Are testing packages becoming less stable

#3 2016-08-27 19:36:57

Re: Are testing packages becoming less stable

#4 2016-08-27 20:07:00

Re: Are testing packages becoming less stable

#5 2016-08-27 20:15:02

Re: Are testing packages becoming less stable

#6 2016-08-27 20:21:57

Re: Are testing packages becoming less stable

#7 2016-08-27 20:32:16

Re: Are testing packages becoming less stable

#8 2016-08-27 21:16:11

Re: Are testing packages becoming less stable

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