Control: tags -1 + moreinfo
On Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:36:22 +0200 Johannes Schauer Marin Rodrigues wrote:
> Package: apt-listbugs
> Version: 0.1.47
> Severity: normal
>
> Hi,
Hello Johannes, nice to read you! :-)
Thanks for your bug report.
>
> currently, apt-listbugs output might look like this:
>
> Retrieving bug reports... Done
> Parsing Found/Fixed information... Done
> grave bugs of context (→ 2025.09.21.20251026+dfsg-1) <Outstanding>
> b1 - #1121307 - lpdf-lmt.lmt:1681: attempt to perform bitwise operation on a
> nil value (local 'options') serious bugs of ca-certificates-java (→ 20260311)
> <Outstanding>
> b2 - #1142266 - ca-certificates-java: doesn't refresh
> /etc/ssl/certs/java/cacerts on upgrade from bookworm serious bugs of inkscape
> (→ 1.4.3-1+b1) <Outstanding>
> b3 - #1141190 - Non-free license on Hershey fonts serious bugs of
> texlive-formats-extra (→ 2026.20260711-1) <Outstanding>
> b4 - #1139505 - gitmagic: FTBFS: LaTeX error
> Merged with: 1139514 1139525
> Summary:
> ca-certificates-java(1 bug), context(1 bug), inkscape(1 bug),
> texlive-formats-extra(1 bug)
> Are you sure you want to install/upgrade the above packages? [Y/n/?/...]
Yes, something like that.
>
>
> I'm providing user support for the MNT Reform platform. Since we usually
> require packages more recent than what is in Debian stable for the ARM64
> systems to work correctly, our users are provided with a Debian unstable
> installation.
Well, after reading this, my first thought was: "Please don't expose
non-tech-savvy users to Debian unstable, unless you are willing to
educate them all!".
And don't get me wrong, educating users is a noble goal in itself, so it
might be worth the hassle... But it sure requires time and effort.
> In the hopes that it might reduce the amount of bugs our users
> run into when using Debian unstable, we have apt-listbugs installed by
> default.
Have you considered Debian testing as a compromise between the latest
software versions of Debian unstable and the, well, stability of Debian
stable?
Having apt-listbugs installed by default could still be a good idea,
but Debian testing is a bit less adventurous than Debian unstable, at
least in my experience...
Anyway.
>
> The problem which I frequently encounter is, that our users see the list above
> and then have no way of knowing what to do with this information because they
> don't know how to connect the bug number with the corresponding webpage of the
> Debian BTS.
It could still be not enough for your needs, but: have you considered
to suggest the use of the apt-listbugs interactive prompt?
At the above prompt, you may reply with a question mark to see
the available possibilities:
Are you sure you want to install/upgrade the above packages? [Y/n/?/...] ?
y - continue the APT installation.
n - stop the APT installation.
<num> - query the specified bug number
(uses querybts as user REGULAR_USER).
#<num> - same as <num>.
b<id> - same as <num>, but query the bug identified by <id>.
r - redisplay bug lists.
c - compose bug lists in HTML.
w - display bug lists in HTML
(uses sensible-browser as user REGULAR_USER).
d <num>.. - dodge bugs <num> by pinning affected packages
(restart APT session to enable).
d b<id>.. - dodge bugs identified by <id> by pinning affected packages
(restart APT session to enable).
p <pkg>.. - pin packages <pkg>
(restart APT session to enable).
p - pin all the above packages
(restart APT session to enable).
i <num> - mark bug number <num> as ignored.
i b<id> - mark the bug identified by <id> as ignored.
i - mark all the above bugs as ignored.
u - undo all the dodge/pin/ignore operations done so far.
? - print this help.
For instance, you can reply with `1121307` or `#1121307` or `b1` and
this will use `querybts` (from package `reportbug`, if installed) to
display the bug report in a TUI.
Or you can reply with `w` and this will create a temporary HTML page
and display it with `sensible-browser`. The page has the bug lists with
links to http://bugs.debian.org/1121307 and the other bug reports.
The implementation of apt-listbugs even does its best to run `querybts`
and `sensible-browser` as the regular user who became root (with su or
sudo), rather than as root.
Another possibility is to reply with `c` and this will create the
temporary HTML page and show its local URI so that it can be
copy-pasted to a browser location bar.
As I said, all these strategies could be not enough for your needs,
but I thought it was worth mentioning them, just in case...
>
> I have two ideas:
>
> Instead of listing the bug number, expand it to a URL the user can click on.
> The bug subjects are usually super long anyways (see above) so maybe it would
> not be too bad to instead output:
>
> b1 - https://bugs.debian.org/1121307 - lpdf-lmt.lmt:1681: attempt to perform
> bitwise operation on a nil value (local 'options') serious bugs of
> ca-certificates-java (→ 20260311) <Outstanding>
> b2 - https://bugs.debian.org/1142266 - ca-certificates-java: doesn't refresh
> /etc/ssl/certs/java/cacerts on upgrade from bookworm serious bugs of inkscape
> (→ 1.4.3-1+b1) <Outstanding>
> b3 - https://bugs.debian.org/1141190 - Non-free license on Hershey fonts
> serious bugs of texlive-formats-extra (→ 2026.20260711-1) <Outstanding>
> b4 - https://bugs.debian.org/1139505 - gitmagic: FTBFS: LaTeX error
>
> Or, alternatively, add an additional line of text just after the summary
> saying
> something along the lines of:
>
> To obtain more details about the bugs listed above, go to
> https://bugs.debian.org/XXXXXXX where you replace XXXXXXX with the numerical
> value shown at the beginning of each line above (but without the hash).
>
> What do you think?
Your first idea implies a bit of repetition, but it could be not that
bad.
Your second idea also has its merits, even though the phrasing should
be made clearer (it's a little cryptic, as it is: I understand the
meaning, because I already know, but what about a non-tech-savvy
user?).
I have to think about these ideas. Maybe there's a third possibility
which is better...
>
> Thanks!
You're welcome.
Please let me know whether you have considered using the apt-listbugs
interactive prompt.
Looking forward to hearing back from you.
Bye.
--
http://www.inventati.org/frx/
There's not a second to spare! To the laboratory!
..................................................... Francesco Poli .
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