While attempting to help a user on the Newbie forum I came across this oddity (Canonical enhancement) in Ubuntu 11.10.

A new install does not select the Canonical Partners repository
Attempting to install an app from the Partners repository by selecting it from the Software Center causes the Partners repository to be checked in Software Sources. However, the package list is NOT refreshed and thus the package is not found.

sudo apt-get update will of course correct the issue. But my question is...

If I add a repository within the Software Sources GUI tool, how do I force a reload of the package lists using the GUI tool? Synaptic provided a convenient Refresh button and even nagged me to do so after adding a repository.

TIA,

Ken

Not an Ubuntu user, but I think this will work:

Thanks snowpine but I already know that and so stated in the original post. The point of my question is that Canonical supposedly made Linux easier to use with their Unity interface and other "enhancements". A beginning user is not going to be comfortable using the terminal and an experienced user will probably dump the whole thing after spending several minutes trying to figure out where Canonical hid the terminal in Unity.

Unless they get their $#!T squared away by time support runs out for 10.04 Long Term Support I will not be a Ubuntu user either.

Ken

I was agreeing with you (not disagreeing), sorry if that was unclear.

You don't like Ubuntu, I don't like Ubuntu, this is not an Ubuntu forum... nobody who works for Canonical developing the next Ubuntu release is likely to read your comments here. (And if they did, using profanity is a good way to make sure they don't take you seriously.)

Better venue for constructive comments/suggestions: http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/

While I have not looked at the ubuntu software center sense 10.04-testing I am not sure but I think you can update from there.

If not and you have Update Mangler enabled it will update the list itself on the schedule you choose in Software Sources. It will also upgrade your system by it self which can be very interesting at times.

There are many of us that used to use Ubuntu here and no longer care if they improve it or not. The reason that they want all the automatic things like UM enabled fully is the very idiot noob to whom you refer.

I have some trouble with this because I came to Ubuntu straight from MS and had no trouble at all learning how to run and update/upgrade cycle, using synaptic first and then learning the joys and advantages of the terminal.

Admittedly the terminal did not intimidate me as I started my computer use with MSDos and thought they did nothing but go down hill from there on.

Linux gives you a nice gui environment and a great terminal. All you need do is read the manual. I really don't think that folks leaving MS, or Mac for that matter, are afraid to try something new and learn something new. If so, why would they change what they are using now?

The problem Ubuntu has is that they are bound and determined to assume the mythical average user is as stupid as MS believes them to be.

I was lucky to start with 8.04 (horny horse), 8.10 never blew my skirt up, 9.049jumpin jackass) was great, 9.10 (kinky kitty) was all right, 10.04 (lounge lizard) was plain evidence that the rot had set in.

Your idea of switching to a different distro is a very good one. I suggest one that actually wants to be Linux. That would be about anything but Ubuntu and its offspring.

If you want something that has been user friendly for a long time I would suggest PCLOS which is a RH branch OS using their own script to use apt for packagemanagement including synaptic.

I have also just discovered Saline OS which is based on Debian testing using Xfce. It is pretty nicely set up although I did have a problem with Software Sources being a little funny. Turned out to be that /root/.synaptic/synaptic.conf was calling for squeeze instead of wheezy/sid. Do not know if that is common or just a glitch in my install.

Mandriva has also been pretty good to work with.

Mageia which is a fork of Mandriva looks even more promising.

Debian itself is, to me, the best of the bunch. Yours is, however, the choice. This is Linux after all.

A good place to start;
http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=popularity

Their homepage is a good place to find out about new distros.

If you select the software sources from within Synaptic Package Manager and add or change repos, then you will be prompted with a popup to reload your sources. This is simply a GUI front end to running "sudo apt-get update".
I have been using Lubuntu for the last several Ubuntu releases, so I have not used the Software Center. It seems odd that the Software Center does not prompt you to reload the sources after adding or changing repos; and this should be corrected. After all, the Software Center was created to be easier for beginners to use than Synaptic.