Hard to find many packages: unclear where "technical items" are hidden

Bug #1144682 reported by Ketil
12
This bug affects 2 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
software-center (Ubuntu)
Confirmed
Undecided
Unassigned

Bug Description

This is a usability issue.

I tried to install Xen using Ubuntu Software Center. First I searched for "xen" but didn't find the hypervisor. I tried a few options like "*xen*" and some others, but I only got xenwatch, xenlog and vnc-client among my search results. I gave up and used apt-get.

I later discovered:

1. Searching for "xen-" instead of just "xen" DOES show xen-hypervisor options. Explain that!?
2. There's a well hidden "Show XX technical items" at the bottom of the window.

This is bad usability. The "technical items" definition seems useless. Aren't xenwatch, xenlog and vnc-client technical items? What exactly is a "technical item"?

But if you insist on hiding packages like that, there should be a clearly visible meta-entry among the search results to show the rest of the entries.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: software-center 5.4.1.4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-25.39-generic 3.5.7.4
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-25-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.6.1-0ubuntu10
Architecture: i386
Date: Mon Mar 4 16:29:15 2013
InstallationDate: Installed on 2010-10-25 (861 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100816.1)
MarkForUpload: True
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
SourcePackage: software-center
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to quantal on 2012-12-20 (74 days ago)

Revision history for this message
Ketil (ketil-froyn) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Changed in software-center (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
dino99 (9d9) wrote :

That version is no more maintained

Changed in software-center (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Invalid
Revision history for this message
Neal McBurnett (nealmcb) wrote :

The bug still exists in the current version of Ubuntu Software Center on Trusty 14.04.2 LTS. Reopening.

Changed in software-center (Ubuntu):
status: Invalid → Confirmed
Neal McBurnett (nealmcb)
summary: - Unclear where "technical items" are hidden
+ Hard to find many packages: unclear where "technical items" are hidden
dino99 (9d9)
tags: added: trusty
removed: quantal
To post a comment you must log in.
This report contains Public information  
Everyone can see this information.

Other bug subscribers

Remote bug watches

Bug watches keep track of this bug in other bug trackers.