python2.6 crashed with SystemError in commit()

It happens when upgrading the updates software list

I encountered this error when trying to install additional multimedia packages. Then I noticed that I had Synaptic launched.

The cause of this error is that the apt package database is locked. After closing the application that holds the lock everything works fine. A user-friendly message is required.

On my system this error occurred on the first boot after installing the system, right after the desktop came up and before I touched anything.
jaunty2@laptop:~$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 9.04
Release: 9.04
jaunty2@laptop:~$ apt-cache policy python
python:
  Installed: 2.6.1-0ubuntu9
  Candidate: 2.6.1-0ubuntu9
  Version table:
 *** 2.6.1-0ubuntu9 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

This is Kubuntu 9.04 RC amd64, alternative install disc installed on a Dell Inspiron E1505 / 6400 laptop (Intel Duo Core, ATI Mobile Radeon video).

ProblemType: Crash
Architecture: amd64
Dependencies:
 libgcc1 1:4.3.3-5ubuntu4
 zlib1g 1:1.2.3.3.dfsg-12ubuntu2
 gcc-4.3-base 4.3.3-5ubuntu4
 findutils 4.4.0-2ubuntu4
 libc6 2.9-4ubuntu6
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.04
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/python2.6
InterpreterPath: /usr/bin/python2.6
Package: python2.6-minimal 2.6.2~rc1-0ubuntu2
ProcAttrCurrent: unconfined
ProcCmdline: python /usr/bin/install-package --update
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 LANGUAGE=en_US
 SHELL=/bin/bash
PythonArgs: []
SourcePackage: python2.6
Title: python2.6 crashed with SystemError in commit()
Traceback:
 Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "/usr/bin/install-package", line 202, in commit
     apt_pkg.PkgSystemLock()
 SystemError: E:Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock - open (11 Resource temporarily unavailable), E:Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), is another process using it?
Uname: Linux 2.6.28-11-generic x86_64
UserGroups:

install-package should handle this.

=== modified file 'install-package.py'
--- install-package.py 2008-10-15 14:09:30 +0000
+++ install-package.py 2009-06-17 08:40:18 +0000
@@ -193,7 +193,11 @@
         self.resize(self.minimumSizeHint())

     def commit(self):
- apt_pkg.PkgSystemLock()
+ try:
+ apt_pkg.PkgSystemLock()
+ except SystemError, e:
+ KMessageBox.sorry(None, e.message, i18n("Error"), KMessageBox.Notify)
+ sys.exit(1)
         if self.mode == "update":
             result = self._cache.update(self.fprogress)
         else:

This bug was fixed in the package install-package - 0.4

---------------
install-package (0.4) karmic; urgency=low

  * Fix crashes when apt is in inconsistent state, closes LP: #335897
    catch SystemError and apt.cache.FetchFailedException on commit/update.
    SystemError: something went wrong during dpkg, http404 etc. LP: #345696, #360288
    apt.cache.FetchFailedException: LP: #364494, #342041
    from Florian Reinhard

 -- Jonathan Riddell <email address hidden> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:31:12 +0100

to raise a exception isn't a bug