Ubuntu
xserver-xorg-input-synaptics package

How do I access documentation of the source code or road map for the driver?

Asked by nixer

Hello,

I notice a few of the bugs that I am having with the touchpad driver for linux are currently confirmed but unassigned, and have been unassigned for some time, for example:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-input-synaptics/+bug/1026046

While I think the ubuntu community is a great one, I also heavily rely on my computer and OS for my lively-hood and income. That being said, I have great interest in furthering the development of the touchpad driver.

What I would like to know is if there is a roadmap available so I can determine for myself what bugs may or may not be fixed in the immediate future. Is this available anywhere?

Additionally, since I am a software developer, I am quite keen on contributing to the codebase for the driver, since it is something I and likely many other needs. Is there documentation somewhere of the source code so that I can begin to understand where I can make effective changes?

Thanks

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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#1

As far as I know the upstream source is http://cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/driver/xf86-input-synaptics/ which comes into Ubuntu via https://launchpad.net/xserver-xorg-input-synaptics

Maybe you can use these links as starting point for further investigations to get your questions answered.

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nixer (nixer) said : 		#2

That certainly does point me in the right direction! Thanks :)

However, I then don't understand the relationship between the two links that you posted. How does Ubuntu collect and triage bugs from the ubuntu's launchpad website to the actual development team, since it seems that an entirely separate team is developing the software? The reason I ask is that I imagine other flavours of linux have bug trackers too, for this same package.

This also makes me wonder if this is even the right place to be posting bug reports if the actual development team is using a different bug tracking system and is separate from the ubuntu development process. Does this explain why some bugs go unassigned on this website for months on end?

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nixer (nixer) said : 		#3

Additionally,

Looking at launchpad, it almost looks like the only time a new driver is released is when a new version of ubuntu comes out. Is this true? That seems like a long time to wait.

Oh how I wish that I didn't buy a laptop with a touchpad. Other than that everything works oh so well :(

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#4

You are hitting one of the weak spots of open source. If you are allowed copying and modifying the source, there will be different versions with and without certain bugs resolved.

You might read
http://packaging.ubuntu.com/html/index.html
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Upstream
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Upstream/Freedesktop

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