Lots of software in the universe and multiverse repositories isn't kept up-to-date. This can be pretty annoying. Off the top of my head, I always have to work extra hard to get Valknut and Pan (newsreader) to their newest versions (with the former, I compile several packages from source, and with the latter, I go to the website where I get the up-to-date debs.)
Given the implications of the Free Software philosophy,i.e., "there's more than one way to do it", it should be no surprise that the particular applications you have highlighted here are not necessarily kept up to date. I would assume that there are several other newsreader applications which are more popular, and thus worth the added effort of keeping them current in the repositories. If Ubuntu's maintainers tried to keep up with every two-bit open source application floating around out there in the interwebs they would be unable to update the things which people actually use.
In emulation, Virtualbox also isn't in any of the repositories, (well, the open source version is, but it doesn't include a lot of the niceties that come with the less free version.) Wine is never at the newest version whenever I look for it, and the newer versions tend to include lots of compatibility updates. Cedega requires extra work, too. For transitioning people to Linux, software like this is essential.
Since the grandparent was referring to "normal users", and that Ubuntu seems to be targeted to said "normal users", the fact that a yet another virtualization tool has fallen beneath the radar of the maintainers is rather unsurprising. If you need the services of a tool such as Virtualbox, it may be reasonably assumed that you should know your way around Linux systems, and therefore are capable of "jumping through the hoops" of downloading tarballs and compiling a software package. And if that is too much of a hassle, perhaps you should begin to question the decision to use an relatively obscure software package in the first place.
The Multiverse and Universe repositories aren't held to any particular standard, yet they are now apparently enabled by default (they were on my install from yesterday.) This means that software updates may not be enough to get you up-to-date software. The usability will (probably) be there, but there may be security issues.
So the fact that several of your pet applications are missing from the official repositories implies that said repositories are not held to any particular standard? While there may be legitimate security issues in particular applications, I would assume that serious security flaws in popular software packages would take precedence over more obscure ones. How many security flaws in mainstream (and thus more likely to be exploited) packages go without being patched?
So if Vista == Hitler, what does this mean for Godwin's law?
Considering the quantity of Vista==Sux0rz stories found on Slashdot, if Vista==Hitler, the probability of Nazi analogies == 1 even before any meaningful discussion has occurred ("frist psot"s aside).
Wow... just wow! A system from circa 1983, which makes it 24 years old. In computer years thats like 400!
Just out of curiosity, just what kind of app would be worth the trouble of taking care of a 400 year old system anyway?
I mean the sponge baths alone...
Slashdot Mirror
Election day "drama" + TV == Ratings
Not quite...
I am of the opinion that the sky is green.
It's not wrong, it's different!
You can read the booklet online for some lolz:
http://www.gnmagazine.org/booklets/EV/
I had no idea that the CEO was available as a product on their website!
http://www.melaleuca.com/ps/index.cfm?f=ps.productDetail&pid=675&sCatId=2043
Dyson (proper noun): Overrated bagless vacuum cleaner
http://www.dyson.com/homepage.asp
Given the implications of the Free Software philosophy,i.e., "there's more than one way to do it", it should be no surprise that the particular applications you have highlighted here are not necessarily kept up to date. I would assume that there are several other newsreader applications which are more popular, and thus worth the added effort of keeping them current in the repositories. If Ubuntu's maintainers tried to keep up with every two-bit open source application floating around out there in the interwebs they would be unable to update the things which people actually use.
Since the grandparent was referring to "normal users", and that Ubuntu seems to be targeted to said "normal users", the fact that a yet another virtualization tool has fallen beneath the radar of the maintainers is rather unsurprising. If you need the services of a tool such as Virtualbox, it may be reasonably assumed that you should know your way around Linux systems, and therefore are capable of "jumping through the hoops" of downloading tarballs and compiling a software package. And if that is too much of a hassle, perhaps you should begin to question the decision to use an relatively obscure software package in the first place.
So the fact that several of your pet applications are missing from the official repositories implies that said repositories are not held to any particular standard? While there may be legitimate security issues in particular applications, I would assume that serious security flaws in popular software packages would take precedence over more obscure ones. How many security flaws in mainstream (and thus more likely to be exploited) packages go without being patched?So if Vista == Hitler, what does this mean for Godwin's law?
Considering the quantity of Vista==Sux0rz stories found on Slashdot, if Vista==Hitler, the probability of Nazi analogies == 1 even before any meaningful discussion has occurred ("frist psot"s aside).
The mind boggles...
Wow... just wow! A system from circa 1983, which makes it 24 years old. In computer years thats like 400! Just out of curiosity, just what kind of app would be worth the trouble of taking care of a 400 year old system anyway? I mean the sponge baths alone...