The menu entry on the Ubuntu UMPC live image from today is cut "Try Ubuntu UMPC without any c" (change).
IMPACT:
Distributed VFAT images made bootable in a hardy environment continue to expose previously addressed syslinux issues in gfxboot, resulting in malformed menus and reduced functionality. Most significantly, descriptions are truncated and alternate install modes are unavailable.
DEVELOPMENT SOLUTION:
Two patches were applied to gfxboot: the first to avoid a crash when both gfxboot and com32 were in use. The second to force a gfxboot prompt if gfxboot is configured.
TEST CASE:
Construct a vfat installation image (This must be done with intrepid or jaunty debian-cd)
Run syslinux on the vfat binary on a hardy system
Boot the result, and observe menu truncation
ALTERNATE TEST CASE:
Download a MID, UMPC, or Netbook Remix image from cdimage.ubuntu.com
In a hardy environment, run syslinux
Note that with the patched syslinux, gfxboot works, and with the current syslinux, menus are truncated.
REGRESSION POTENTIAL:
VFAT images made bootable in a hardy environment that rely on the bug to not use gfxboot despite configuration may suddenly have an alternate menu interface presented, which may not match user expectations.
The VFAT images currently distributed on cdimage.ubuntu.com (intrepid, jaunty alphas) will no longer match the images that would be constructed afresh in an environment including this bugfix. As none of these images are expected to be reissued, users may be confused by differences between self-constructed images and distributed official images.
Confirmed with the MID image too.