Launchpad the first (?) bugtracker used to raise a polemic

Sep 272012

Or should i say: “grep -R doesn’t automatically search amazon” ?
This is becoming the most popular bug on launchpad, and if you are an Ubuntu user perhaps you have already seen it, for all the others..this is an interesting “bug” on a feature request, this is the original text of the bug posted by the user akeane

Dear “root owning” overlords,

When using grep recursively I only get local results:

grep -R fish_t /home/noob/fish_game/*

/home/noob/fish_game/fish.h: struct fish_t {
/home/noob/fish_game/fish.c: struct fish_t eric_the_ fish;

or worse:

grep -R shark_t /home/noob/fish_game/*

/home/noob/fish_game/fish.h: struct shark_t {
/home/noob/fish_game/fish.c: struct shark_t_t mark_sw;

I declare this a bug for two reasons:

1. The output is boring.
2. The terminal has more than 2 lines!!! It’s an unefficient use of my screenspace.

I believe the reason for this is that the grep command only searches locally for things I am actually looking for, I kind of expect the results I get from my codebase and as such it removes any sense of mystery or something new and exciting to spice up my dull geek existence. That’s boring, grep -R should also search amazon, so I get more exciting results such as:

Shark Season 1 Starring Steven Eckholdt, Nora Dunn, Patrick Fabian, et al.
Amazon Instant Video
to buy episodes: $1.99
to buy season: $34.99 ($1.59 per episode)

Watch instantly on your PC, Mac, compatible TV or device.
2.
Product Details
See Color & Size Options
NHL San Jose Sharks Primary Logo T-Shirt Men’s by Reebok
$16.95 – $19.99

new from $16.95
(1)
Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping.
3.
Product Details
See Size Options
Shark Week Girls T-Shirt by Hot Topic
$22.50

See all 9,755 results

“struct shark_t” (See all 1,583 results)
1.
Product Details
See Size Options
D:fi D:struct Pliable Molding Creme by D:Fi
$23.50 $17.05 ($11.37/100 g)

new from $10.50
Only 7 left in stock – order soon.
(35)
Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping.
2.
Product Details

Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere Activities Activity Tin – Robo-struct by Patch Products
$11.99 $8.77

new from $3.99
Order in the next 1 hour and get it by Tuesday, Sep 25.
Only 12 left in stock – order soon.
(1)
Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping.
Manufacturer recommended age: 4 – 9 Years
3.
Product Details

d:fi d:struct 2.65 oz by AMERICAN CREW

This is less dull and also maximises the use of my terminal and hence increases my productivity.

Please can you change the grep warez to have this feature, and just install it on my machine while I’m down the pub, after all you do “erm, have root”, so it should be easy for you to do 🙂

Thanks Ubuntu devs!!!

Sent from my Unity device, (which is why it took several glacial ages and a couple of eras to get it done)

Something in the last line make me think that that user is happy of Unity as much as me (go Xubuntu !!).
This is just the start of a long series of proposals for new features to be implemented in the next Ubuntu, such as:

command-not-found should totally have ubuntu software centre integration for things like this:
you@home:~$ portal2
base: portal2: command not found…
Would you like to buy and install Portal 2 via Steam for $7.49 ? [Y/n]

How are we command line jockeys supposed to support Canonical without ads in our terminals? Couldn’t they be added to the screen command?

I agree, all URLs in gnome-terminal should have referral codes appended to help support Ubuntu.

The bug is alimented constantly with new ideas and proposal and i suggest to take a look at it while it’s still online (I’ve a feeling that soon enough it could disappears) it’s really funny and i think that it expresses the frustration of old Ubuntu users toward Canonical choices on the Desktop Environment and some of the commercial choices made in the last year, it would be interesting if this bug could really be useful and corrects something that the user feel as “broken” ?

If you are interested in this topic check also:
Shuttleworth: Amazon search results in the Dash