Multiple issues with stable update

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The main reason why I changed to Linux 6 years ago was because of all the forced updates and Windows interrupting my work. But Linux certainly has caught up with the inconvenience - just in this one update.

I get it that some people have more spare time and can spend hours a day fiddling with their home computers, but I am not so lucky. Outside of work, I am limited to maybe 15-20 minutes a day for fiddling, if lucky. Even now I have to make this post, but wont be able to check for answers for 24 hours.

I didnt upgrade according to the upgrade notice. I did what I normally do, for the last 6 years I updated Linux just by updating everything Pamac told me and I have had no issue until now.

Everything broke after the update. Missing Icons, no icons, missing options when I right clicked, missing menu bars, no save options etc. I did have a clone of an earlier Manjaro installation, but that took hours to restore. However that earlier cloned version of Manjaro saved me.

So I have spent all my spare time over the last week or so fixing all the issues that the latest update caused. Restored all my icons by changing to a plasma 6 global theme and then tinkering with that. Then one by one fixing broken functionality by hours of googling, reading, experimenting and implementing.

The last two issues I cant fix, is the recycle bin keeps on disappearing every-time I put something into it, or empty it. Restored only by a restart. Years ago I created a recycle bin by dragging and dropping the recycle bin icon from dolphin to the desktop, and then using kate to direct the icons to a full or empty recycle bin icons. Worked flawlessly for years until this update. Anyway I deleted it and redid it from scratch. But it just keeps disappearing everytime I put something into the recycle bin, or empty it.

The second issue I cant fix is a big one. The “File Edit View” etc menubar of every application I use is at the bottom of the screen instead of top. I want it back at the top. This is in all applications such as Libreoffice, web browsers etc. I do all the changes I find online, but it stays at the bottom. The only way I can move it to the top is if I move my operating system home screen toolbar to the top. Then all the applications follow it - like a new global setting all forced together to the top. But I want my operating toolbar at the bottom, and all the application menubars at the top. This new update forces it to merge together, when previously I could have operating system toolbar at bottom and all application menubars at top.

I know this type of post will get a lot of hate in the Manjaro community, but for Linux to succeed, Linux elitist attitudes need to realise the lives of everyday people, otherwise Linux stays below 5%…

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Three comments.

  1. Nobody forced you to install this upgrade.
  2. There were plenty of warnings that the Plasma update was a major one and that it needed a lot of care if it was to have a chance of going even reasonably smoothly.
  3. If you want a Linux installation that doesn’t change very often and doesn’t require some commitment in terms of both time and skills, Manjaro really is not the distro for you.
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Manjaro has been a great distro for me for the last 6 years. Typical, predictable, elitist reply.

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I don’t want to be rude, but what were you thinking?

Manjaro is a rolling release distribution, for more or less experienced users (with 6 years you should have them :wink: ). With such distributions, it is not just a matter of updating the packages, which always requires rework.

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Maybe for the last 6 years I have been lucky with just updating as recommended, havnt required “rework” before (let alone “always”). I have huge passion for open source and have been previously evangelical in that passion. But for the first time, in such a long time, for such a horrendous update, and all the hours spent fixing, and not all issues fixable… To feel like giving up after 6 years of being super happy with the rolling release distribution - I think that is valuable feedback to Manjaro development.

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Is this the proverbial ‘Waah waah u changed a wallpaper, it makes full sense ur sistem no longer boot))))0)))0)’ update again? Let’s see… maybe a month if we’re lucky? Or is that still too optimistic? :smile: Either way if you’re just a regular person like me, just don’t bother any time soon. They will only keep pointing fingers at each other, but mostly at you, the user, as per the ‘foss’ staple lmao.

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Linux isn’t one monolithic entity. The difference between rolling and fixed distros is very real and both have their pros and cons. I run both and appreciate each for their different strengths, knowing they also have their own weaknesses. Yes, I think you have been lucky with Manjaro updates the past 6 years, because sooner or later, there will be one update that requires manual intervention or special treatment. Fixed release distros are indeed click and forget, but then you will need to spend time every 2-5 years to upgrade/fresh install to the newer version. However, when you plan that upgrade well, it will (in my view) take a shorter time than fixing a messed up upgrade in a rolling distro because one was not really informed as to the best way to run the latter. Nothing elitist about it, just a realistic understanding that fixed and rolling are just different.

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It’s too bad that the emoji replies (the discord retort plugin) is not active anymore.
I’d have reacted with something like: :cry: or :-1:

There was plenty of information beforehand - the change was quite substantial.
And now it is anyone’s fault but not your own.

mkay …

it has a bit of Kindergarten feeling

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Seems this is a ‘rant’ attached to “but I dont want to be responsible for my system”.

There are no actionable suggestions here, only vague complaints of ‘errors’.

As such I would encourage you to stop wasting your own time and open a support thread for any issues you may be having.

Better yet would be to search first and most probably read the Update Announcement thread.

(Your ‘issues’ sound to be from using incompatible items, which is covered in 93476 places already.)

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