ReportingBugs
Software contains flaws, called bugs. To manage them, Ubuntu uses the [https://launchpad.net/malone Malone] bug tracking system.
If you want to help fixing bugs, please see HelpingWithBugs
Malone
Malone is a new bug tracker created as part of the Launchpad architecture. Malone is used to track all bugs for Ubuntu and bugs for packages from other distributions.
Getting started
Malone uses the Launchpad login, which is the same as this wiki. To create a Launchpad account, go [https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+bugs/+login here]
Filing Bugs
The first things you should look at are the following guides about deciding to file a bug or not.
If you need help with debugging a problem, see ["DebuggingProcedures"]
If you need help with actually filing the bug, http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html has quite a lot of information on how to do it properly.
When to file a bug
- You can repeat the problem
- It is not a feature of the program
When to not file a bug
Support requests should go to the [http://www.ubuntuforums.org/ forums], #ubuntu on irc, or the [http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users ubuntu-users] mailing list.
Feature and policy discussions should be discussed on the [http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel ubuntu-devel] mailing list.
Development ideas should be discussed on the [http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel ubuntu-devel] mailing list.
Actually filing the bug
So, your bug is an actual bug. The first thing you should do is check if it has already been reported by searching through the [https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+bugs existing bugs]. If it has not been reported, then you can [https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+filebug report a new bug]. Try and fill out a useful summary and select which program it happened in. If you do not know, take a guess or ask someone. Then fill out the description with as much information as you can. It is better to have more information than too little. Once you have filled out the package name, summary and description, click on submit. Unless you are experienced, it is best if you leave the other fields blank or with their default information. You are now done.
- File the bug on one package only. If you really don't have a clue, file it on "Ubuntu".
Do not file it in a release (Breezy/Dapper), just on the source package in [https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+bugs Ubuntu].
- For anything hardware related, give precise details. Attach "lspci -vv" output, for instance.
- For display/X problems, always attach /etc/X11/xorg.conf and /var/log/Xorg.0.log
NOTE: Most kubuntu specific packages are listed [https://launchpad.net/people/kubuntu-team/+packagebugs here]
English Error messages
If you are getting error messages a language other than english, it can often be help full to put the english version of the message in the bug report. You can do this be running the program from a terminal with "LANGUAGE=C" before its name, for example
LANGUAGE=C sudo apt-get update
Bug triage
Bug triage is the act of cleaning up old bugs, solving some, and closing those which are incorrectly filed. Information on bug triage can be found at HelpingWithBugs.