Fedora 9 Beta: first impression

[zeiz]

Got Fedora9 beta 3 days ago. The installation (on 3rd LV of 4th (extended) partition; grub on /) was as smooth as 123! Correct screen resolution, Internet and sound came working out of box.
(It's hard to believe but I had multiple problems with F8 on the same machine: I could install it only on 1st PP with grub on mbr, wrong resolution, no internet, no sound.)
So F9 beta looks really great and it works 3 days without any crashes. It's getting updates and there are no surprises after updating. Definitely F9-release must be really outstanding distro!

However I installed a version with both Gnome and KDE but so far I couldn't find a way to start KDE (only Gnome is a choice at login screen). Does somebody experience the same problem?
Also I couldn't find a Package manager; is this supposed to be so in the beta?

[scottro]

Heh, errm yeah. Actually, there is a package manager--right now, they're trying to iron out some bugs, with much thanks to Rahul who sometimes posts here, and others. Sigh, I don't want to give bogus information, and I've forgotten its name--something like package-kit, pkgkit or something like that. It might not yet be on the menu and I don't have the beta on this machine so I can't check. However, dig around, I'm pretty sure they've installed it. (Sorry I can't give more info on that one, but I always use yum or smart from command line, so I haven't been paying too much attention to the posts on the testing list.)


As for starting KDE--some people were having issues with the session menu (when you first log in, giving you the option to choose your session.) Some people didn't have it and others just didn't see it--I don't even know which of the two I was because I didn't check again till after an update.
It's in a slightly different location now--you have the main screen, where you choose the user to log in--now, if you look at the very bottom of the screen, there should be a thing marked session. Click that and it should give you the KDE option.

IF you don't see that, do another upgrade, and it should be there after reboot. .

[Nokia]

That's what scottro is talking about:

http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/PackageKit?highlight=%28CategoryAcceptedFedora9%29

[pparks1]

I tested the Beta 9 install on a Dell Optiplex GX745 at work. Couldn't get KDE to run, period. I first installed the system with Gnome and KDE, installed the switchdesk tool and couldn't get out of Gnome.

I then installed the system with KDE only and it brings me to a logon prompt and I enter in the username and password and it just drops me back to the logon prompt.

I admit I haven't updated. There was 500MB worth of updates....work wouldn't appreciate me sucking up this much bandwidth just to look at this beta.

[zeiz]

Well, I found it! The command is "pk-application"...not as intuitive as pkgkit or pkg-kit, ah? :)
If it could help developers I would recommend to sort packages in alphabetical order: to search by name one must remember full package name, I couldn't find nvidia prop.driver by just "nvidia". Filter "installed/available" doesn't work yet, it's understandable in beta but hopefully it's going to work.

As to KDE it's just not installed at all if believe "pk" , at least kdebase is not installed. I do have >500MB of updates already and I'd rather not to upgrade from the same media. Although I'm afraid to ruin my beautiful F9 (actually I like Gnome) but testing is testing and I'll try to install KDE one by one.
By the way on the session screen the only choice is "Gnome".
Thanks a lot guys! :)

PS. I just got a "bug": after last update and rebooting all my partitions (from 2 drives) appear now on the desktop and several windows (not all of the mounted) get opened:eek: . It's default in Ubuntu but I don't think it's a good idea to automount everything at startup.

PPS. Forgot what bothers a lot: double listings in firefox's "history" list though it's probably question to Firefox people.

[scottro]

Some of your suggestions are already being done--Rahul has filed several bugs about the package manager on bugzilla.

[zeiz]

What about the auto mounting?

[pparks1]

I did go back and ran yum update on my GX745 with an ATI X1300 card installed and it won't run KDE at all.

I'm getting the following in messages
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-simple-slave[2554]: DEBUG: GdmSessionDirect: worker connection is 0x23d8e20
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-simple-slave[2554]: DEBUG: GdmSessionDirect: Emitting opened signal
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-simple-slave[2554]: DEBUG: GdmSimpleSlave: session opened
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Adding handler 1: signum=15 0x404550
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Registering for 15 signals
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Adding handler 2: signum=2 0x404550
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Registering for 2 signals
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Adding handler 3: signum=4 0x404550
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Registering for 4 signals
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Adding handler 4: signum=7 0x404550
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Registering for 7 signals
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Adding handler 5: signum=8 0x404550
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Registering for 8 signals
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Adding handler 6: signum=1 0x404550
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Registering for 1 signals
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Adding handler 7: signum=11 0x404550
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Registering for 11 signals
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Adding handler 8: signum=6 0x404550
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Registering for 6 signals
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Adding handler 9: signum=10 0x404550
Mar 28 16:16:23 localhost gdm-session-worker[2611]: DEBUG: GdmSignalHandler: Registering for 10 signals
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmGreeterLoginWindow: settings daemon started
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmGreeterSession: Launching metacity
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmGreeterSession: Starting a login window local:1
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmUserManager: Found current seat: /org/freedesktop/ConsoleKit/Seat1
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmGreeterLoginWindow: Got greeter logo 'fedora-logo-icon'
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmGreeterLoginWindow: banner message disabled
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmGreeterClient: obj_path=/org/gnome/DisplayManager/GreeterServer interface=org.gnome.DisplayManager.GreeterServer method=Ready
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmGreeterClient: Ready
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmGreeterSession: Ready
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmUserChooserWidget: icon theme changed
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmUserManager: running 'ck-history --frequent --seat='Seat1' --session-type='''
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmUserManager: user icon changed
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmUserManager: user icon changed
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: Getting list of sessions for user 501
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: Found 0 sessions for user paul
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmUserChooserWidget: User added name:paul logged-in:0 pixbuf:0x7fa70744e230
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: Getting list of sessions for user 500
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: Found 0 sessions for user pparks1
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmUserChooserWidget: User added name:u4500347 logged-in:0 pixbuf:0x7fa70744e230
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmUserManager: history output: root 3#012
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmUserManager: excluding user 'root'
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmUserManager: history output: pparks1 1#012
Mar 28 16:16:24 localhost gdm-simple-greeter[2587]: DEBUG: GdmUserChooserWidget: User login frequency changed: pparks1

I'm getting the following in the Xorg.2.log file

X.Org X Server 1.4.99.901 (1.5.0 RC 1)
Release Date: 5 September 2007
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.18-53.1.6.el5xen x86_64
Current Operating System: Linux localhost.localdomain 2.6.25-0.163.rc7.git1.fc9.x86_64 #1 SMP Thu Mar 27 09:29:41 EDT 2008 x86_64
Build Date: 27 March 2008 01:50:52PM
Build ID: xorg-x11-server 1.4.99.901-13.20080314.fc9
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Module Loader present
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.2.log", Time: Fri Mar 28 16:16:22 2008
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
(==) ServerLayout "Default Layout"
(**) |-->Screen "Screen0" (0)
(**) | |-->Monitor "<default monitor>"
(**) | |-->Device "Videocard0"
(==) No monitor specified for screen "Screen0".
Using a default monitor configuration.
(==) Automatically adding devices
(==) Automatically enabling devices
(==) No FontPath specified. Using compiled-in default.
(==) FontPath set to:
catalogue:/etc/X11/fontpath.d,
built-ins
(==) ModulePath set to "/usr/lib64/xorg/modules"
(==) |-->Input Device "<default pointer>"
(==) |-->Input Device "<default keyboard>"
(==) The core pointer device wasn't specified explicitly in the layout.
Using the default mouse configuration.
(==) The core keyboard device wasn't specified explicitly in the layout.
Using the default keyboard configuration.
(II) Open ACPI successful (/var/run/acpid.socket)
(II) Loader magic: 0x7b4ee0
(II) Module ABI versions:
X.Org ANSI C Emulation: 0.3
X.Org Video Driver: 4.0
X.Org XInput driver : 2.0
X.Org Server Extension : 1.0
X.Org Font Renderer : 0.5
(II) Loader running on linux
(--) using VT number 10

@
"Xorg.2.log" 2036L, 76813C
(**) Option "CustomKeycodes" "off"
(**) <default keyboard>: CustomKeycodes disabled
(II) evaluating device (<default keyboard>)
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "<default keyboard>" (type: KEYBOARD)
(II) evaluating device (<default pointer>)
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "<default pointer>" (type: MOUSE)
(II) <default pointer>: Setting mouse protocol to "ExplorerPS/2"
(II) <default pointer>: ps2EnableDataReporting: succeeded
CailReadATIRegister(6080) = 1000100
CailWriteATIRegister(6080,1000101)
CailReadATIRegister(6080) = 1010101
CailWriteATIRegister(6080,10101)
Enable CRTC 0 success
CailReadATIRegister(60ec) = 100
CailWriteATIRegister(6098,0)
CailReadATIRegister(60ec) = 100
CailWriteATIRegister(60ec,100)
CailReadATIRegister(6084) = 101
CailWriteATIRegister(6084,1)
CailReadATIRegister(60ec) = 100
CailWriteATIRegister(60ec,100)
Unblank CRTC 0 success
AGD: output dpms 0
AGD: dac dpms
CailReadATIRegister(7820) = 0
CailWriteATIRegister(7820,0)
CailReadATIRegister(7800) = 0
CailWriteATIRegister(7800,1)
Output 68 enable success
(II) LoadModule: "evdev"

(II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/input//evdev_drv.so
(II) Module evdev: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
compiled for 0.0.0, module version = 1.0.0
Module class: X.Org XInput Driver
ABI class: X.Org XInput driver, version 2.0
(**) Macintosh mouse button emulation: always reports core events
(**) Macintosh mouse button emulation: Device: "/dev/input/event0"
(II) Macintosh mouse button emulation: Found x and y relative axes
(II) Macintosh mouse button emulation: Found mouse buttons
(II) Macintosh mouse button emulation: Configuring as mouse
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Macintosh mouse button emulation" (type: MOUSE)
(**) USB Optical Mouse: always reports core events
(**) USB Optical Mouse: Device: "/dev/input/event3"
(II) USB Optical Mouse: Found x and y relative axes
(II) USB Optical Mouse: Found mouse buttons
(II) USB Optical Mouse: Configuring as mouse
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "USB Optical Mouse" (type: MOUSE)


And if I try to run system-config-display, I get the following;
[root@localhost log]# system-config-display
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/share/system-config-display/xconf.py", line 33, in <module>
import rhpxl.videocard
File "/usr/lib64/python2.5/site-packages/rhpxl/videocard.py", line 166
else if dev.PropertyExists('pci.linux.sysfs_path'):
^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Oh well, if I get some more time next week, I may just grab another box and try on different hardware. Or just wait for the final release.