A couple of thoughts on endless upgrades...

[ttolstead]

I am leaving the Windows world for many reasons, one of the most aggravating is the endless chatter to upgrade apps. It seems like everyone of the darned things phones home every few minutes. With M$ prediction to reboot every time anything does anything, it is a miracle that any work gets done with a Windows system.

M$ has at least restricted their updates to once a week (patch Tuesday), as Linux, and Kubuntu have matured they are starting to get into the endless update mode. (At least we do not have to reboot every time)

I for one did not buy a PC to keep updating it. I would like to see the update mechanism become a lot less intrusive, perhaps something like Windows BITS, and maybe restricted to less frequent updates.

just a thought....

[thedevilsjester]

Re: A couple of thoughts on endless upgrades...

First, no one is forcing you to update your packages. Kubuntu is simply letting you know that new versions of software you have installed are available.

You can choose to ignore it.
You can turn it off, if you dont care about these updates.
You can set it to a less frequent setting (daily, every 2 days, weekly, every 2 weeks etc...) as you feel is needed.
You can only have it check for security updates (and not general updates to the apps you have)
And finally you can have it just install the updates without asking you, so you never have to even know.

Other then that, you will have to ask the individual software developers to please stop adding features and fixing bugs so regularly because you dont like it...

Most of us, on the other hand, just love to wake up in the morning and see that little Update icon in our taskbar. It means new features, new fixes, and better compatibility. Bring it on.

Also a note, you are posting in the forum of a recent release. During its beta cycle and shortly there after, there will be a huge amount of updates, fixing everything that was missed before release. Unlike Windows, we dont wait for 2 years and then release a service pack, when there are many ppl that could use those fixes, updates, and security holes patched, as soon as they are discovered.

[Fintan]

Re: A couple of thoughts on endless upgrades...

I agree wholeheartedly.

Other then that, you will have to ask the individual software developers to please stop adding features and fixing bugs so regularly because you dont like it...

That should be fun

[ttolstead]

Re: A couple of thoughts on endless upgrades...

re:
"You can turn it off, if you don't care about these updates.
You can set it to a less frequent setting (daily, every 2 days, weekly, every 2 weeks etc...) as you feel is needed.
You can only have it check for security updates (and not general updates to the apps you have)
And finally you can have it just install the updates without asking you, so you never have to even know."

1. It is not that I do not care about the updates. I realize a recently issued piece of software is likely to be patched.
2. I have been looking for a way to do exactly that.
3. Perhaps with an alert for Security, and a schedule for background updates on the rest.
4. I think it would be unwise to allow the world to update your system without your knowledge.

I will continue to stumble about trying to locate the incantations required to accomplish what you have suggested. If this indeed does exist, it would be light years ahead of M$ Windows Update. Are these features available through the use of apt-get on the command line? I ran into what appeared to be a proposed spec for modifications to update manager, that appears to be in its first stages...

[marshallbanana]

Re: A couple of thoughts on endless upgrades...

Pretty much all of the above are set in the following location:
kmenu>system>adept manager
adept (the menu in top left corner)>manage repositories>go to the tab updates

[ttolstead]

Re: A couple of thoughts on endless upgrades...

Thanks, found it. It seems that there is always something new to be found...

[thedevilsjester]

Re: A couple of thoughts on endless upgrades...

The problem as I see it, is poor organization in Adept.

Case in point, what does "Manage Repositories" have to do with setting how frequently you want to be notified of updates?

Update settings should have their own menu category, something along the lines of "Manage Updates".

[Fintan]

Re: A couple of thoughts on endless upgrades...

Case in point, what does "Manage Repositories" have to do with setting how frequently you want to be notified of updates?

Basically because by managing your updates you are also managing how adept deals with the repositories so yes "manage repositories as "uber name" seems appropriate

[thedevilsjester]

Re: A couple of thoughts on endless upgrades...

Case in point, what does "Manage Repositories" have to do with setting how frequently you want to be notified of updates?

Basically because by managing your updates you are also managing how adept deals with the repositories so yes "manage repositories as "uber name" seems appropriate

I understand how they rationalize it, but that doesnt make it right.

Everything, one way or another has to do with repositories, thats the whole purpose of the app, so lumping a bunch of settings under a general name is poor design.

Its not readily apparent that the 'update notifier' is controlled through adept.

The 'Settings' menu in Adept, where one rightly assumes Settings should be kept, has nothing to do with Adept itself, just generic Qt GUI settings. So only if you know where to look, or you have stumbled upon it before, will you find those settings.

Synaptic is light years ahead of Adept, and you know where their settings are kept? Thats right, right where you expect them to be, in Settings > Preferences and they have a separate Settings > Repositories for managing repositories.

[Fintan]

Re: A couple of thoughts on endless upgrades...

Synaptic is light years ahead of Adept, and you know where their settings are kept? Thats right, right where you expect them to be, in Settings > Preferences and they have a separate Settings > Repositories for managing repositories.

Amen, that is why I use it