whoopsie

whoopsie [options]

--help
    Display help message and exit.

--version
    Display version information and exit.

--foreground
    Run in the foreground (useful for debugging).

--no-network
    Disable network access (prevent report submission).

The whoopsie daemon is part of the Ubuntu error reporting system. It collects error reports from applications and the operating system itself and submits them to the Canonical error tracking servers for analysis and debugging. Whoopsie runs in the background and automatically detects crashes and other system errors. It then prompts the user (usually via Apport) for permission to send the report. Submitted reports help Canonical to improve the quality and stability of Ubuntu. The command itself is not typically invoked directly by the user; instead, it is managed by systemd or Upstart to ensure its availability for error reporting. The error reports can contain system information, crash dumps, and application logs, which helps developers identify and fix issues. It's crucial for maintaining Ubuntu's reliability.

Note: This tool is specific to Ubuntu and is not available on all Linux distributions.

Whoopsie relies on a properly configured network connection to submit error reports. If the network is unavailable, reports will be queued until a connection is established. Also, the privacy implications of sending error reports should be considered, as they can contain sensitive information.

Error reports submitted by whoopsie may contain personal information such as the username, IP address, and contents of files that caused the crash. Users are advised to review the contents of error reports before submitting them and to configure whoopsie to respect their privacy preferences. Canonical provides mechanisms for users to control the types of data that are collected and shared.

If whoopsie is not functioning correctly, check the system logs for errors. Common issues include network connectivity problems, incorrect configuration, and conflicts with other software. Restarting the whoopsie service may resolve some problems. Using '--foreground' is useful to observe whoopsie's behaviour. If the process is running in the foreground, it will output debug messages to the console.

Whoopsie was created by Canonical as part of the Ubuntu error reporting infrastructure. It evolved with Apport to provide better automated collection and reporting of system errors. It is designed to seamlessly integrate with Ubuntu's desktop environment. The development focuses on reliability, security, and minimal resource usage.

apport(1), ubuntu-bug(1)