[Bug 1709603] [NEW] apt {upgrade, install} require an update call first

[Robie Basak]

Public bug reported:

I think that this should be tracked in its own separate bug tracking my
specific UX objection to the current status quo.

See
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/+bug/1429285/comments/5,
subsequent discussion and
https://twitter.com/chr1sa/status/894048628284604416

We think that the updating of indexes should be an implementation detail
of "apt upgrade" and "apt install", rather than something exposed to the
user. If updating is judged be required (for example the index is more
than X old), then it should be done automatically before the requested
operation commences.

Here's one proposed implementation:

1) Fix bug 1429285 ("apt-get update --if-necessary").

2) Add an option to have "apt install" and "apt upgrade" (also "apt
full-upgrade", etc?) automatically and internally call the
implementation of "apt-get update --if-necessary" first.

3) Enable the option by default on Ubuntu.

This would change the behaviour of "apt", which AIUI is intended to be
the user focused CLI. It wouldn't change the behaviour of "apt-get",
which AIUI needs to retain behavioural backwards compatibility for
existing scripts.

Then we could promote "apt install" and "apt upgrade" as much simpler
commands to operate.

Note that Julian disagreed with this proposed behaviour change in
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/+bug/1429285/comments/7. I
think that the very user-focused Ubuntu perspective should be to focus
on the common use case for "apt". Hence my (compromise) suggestion that
we implement this as an option upstream, and then leave it to distros to
choose the default behaviour for their users.

** Affects: apt (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Wishlist
         Status: New

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1709603

Title:
  apt {upgrade,install} require an update call first

Status in apt package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  I think that this should be tracked in its own separate bug tracking
  my specific UX objection to the current status quo.

  See
  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/+bug/1429285/comments/5,
  subsequent discussion and
  https://twitter.com/chr1sa/status/894048628284604416

  We think that the updating of indexes should be an implementation
  detail of "apt upgrade" and "apt install", rather than something
  exposed to the user. If updating is judged be required (for example
  the index is more than X old), then it should be done automatically
  before the requested operation commences.

  Here's one proposed implementation:

  1) Fix bug 1429285 ("apt-get update --if-necessary").

  2) Add an option to have "apt install" and "apt upgrade" (also "apt
  full-upgrade", etc?) automatically and internally call the
  implementation of "apt-get update --if-necessary" first.

  3) Enable the option by default on Ubuntu.

  This would change the behaviour of "apt", which AIUI is intended to be
  the user focused CLI. It wouldn't change the behaviour of "apt-get",
  which AIUI needs to retain behavioural backwards compatibility for
  existing scripts.

  Then we could promote "apt install" and "apt upgrade" as much simpler
  commands to operate.

  Note that Julian disagreed with this proposed behaviour change in
  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/+bug/1429285/comments/7.
  I think that the very user-focused Ubuntu perspective should be to
  focus on the common use case for "apt". Hence my (compromise)
  suggestion that we implement this as an option upstream, and then
  leave it to distros to choose the default behaviour for their users.

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