preferences - I don't get it

[Harald Hoyer]

Michal Jaegermann wrote:
> After very recent updates the whole Applications->Preferences
> menu just vanished and together with it all entries for configuring
> such details like fonts and how they are rendered, keyboard layout
> and shortcuts, how menus and windows and mouse behave, network
> proxy settings, options for removable media, screensaver, themes,
> you name it.  All the basic stuff.
> 
> It is true that something called  Applications->Other showed up and
> which covers stuff which really only root should ever see.  There is
> also something new named Desktop->Preferences wasting together with
> new "Places" more of a valuable space on a panel.  None of the
> things mentioned above show up there.  There are some _extremely_
> important things in this submenu like "Login Photo".  And there is
> something called "Mail Transport Agent Switcher" which shows up even
> if you have only _one_ MTA installed and there is nothing really to
> switch.
> 
> But assuming that you have at least two MTAs it will indeed switch.
> Moreover it will do to that from a non-root account and without
> asking for any passwords.  Truly amazing!  I am not sure how it
> does that; it does not seem to be something obvious like
> "suid root" somewhere, at least not where you would look, but this
> does happen.  Links in system directories do change.  Now every
> Dick and Harry can randomly mess, at any moment, with yours carefuly
> crafted and configured mail setup.  A barrel of fun.  If you happen
> to have two MTAs installed this must be, obviously, to provide
> some entertainment.
> 
> Is all the above just unfinished yet a version transition or some
> kind of an elaborate joke?  If this is a joke then I do not get it.
> 
>    Michal
> 


This is a bug, just file a bugzilla against Gnome or KDE, or whatever Destop 
Environment you use.