[Bug 1842757] Re: update-manager does not follow settings and fails to update packages on time

[arQon]

> We'll eventually add phased updates to APT too, but we're not there
yet.

I'm not sure it's a good idea to go out of your way to make it
impossible for users to get the current version of a package by any
means. The update-manager behavior is defensible, and even sensible; but
there's enormous value to users still having the option to get an update
through a different path if they need it. 2+ days, when a package that
you need has been broken by a bad update, can be a very long time.

I don't think tampering with APT that way as well is at all defensible,
unless part of that work fixes the oversights in the original spec and
allows users to override the behavior. For example, designating one
machine as a canary at 0% into the phased update cycle, i.e.
immediately; and the others as 80%+ into it.

Anyway, the reason I'm here now is to confirm that update-manager just
now offered the non-security updates from two days ago, so it's working
as designed. (Although the communication of that behavior within the app
itself could certainly be better: i.e. "not absolutely none"... :P)

Forcing phased updates on APT itself though, in the absence of better
controls, is a terrible idea. Please don't.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1842757

Title:
  update-manager does not follow settings and fails to update packages
  on time

Status in update-manager package in Ubuntu:
  Incomplete

Bug description:
  With "Security" and "Other" updates both set to "Display Immediately",
  Update Manager simply ignores any "Other" updates. It's done this for
  all of 16.04, IIRC, and certainly for months even if not that long.

  Today, for example:

  $ apt list --upgradable
  Listing... Done
  bsdutils/xenial-updates 1:2.27.1-6ubuntu3.8 amd64 [upgradable from: 1:2.27.1-6ubuntu3.7]
  firefox/xenial-updates,xenial-security 69.0+build2-0ubuntu0.16.04.4 amd64 [upgradable from: 68.0.2+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1]
  firefox-esr/xenial 60.8.0esr+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.3 amd64 [upgradable from: 52.9.0esr+build2-0ubuntu0.16.04.1]
  firefox-locale-en/xenial-updates,xenial-security 69.0+build2-0ubuntu0.16.04.4 amd64 [upgradable from: 68.0.2+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1]
  libblkid1/xenial-updates 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.8 amd64 [upgradable from: 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.7]
  libfdisk1/xenial-updates 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.8 amd64 [upgradable from: 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.7]
  libmount1/xenial-updates 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.8 amd64 [upgradable from: 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.7]
  libsmartcols1/xenial-updates 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.8 amd64 [upgradable from: 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.7]
  libuuid1/xenial-updates 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.8 amd64 [upgradable from: 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.7]
  mount/xenial-updates 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.8 amd64 [upgradable from: 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.7]
  util-linux/xenial-updates 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.8 amd64 [upgradable from: 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.7]
  uuid-runtime/xenial-updates 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.8 amd64 [upgradable from: 2.27.1-6ubuntu3.7]

  Meanwhile, in Update Manager only the Firefox updates are offered at
  all. Nothing seems to be able to persuade it to work correctly
  (restarting it etc), and once the security updates have been installed
  it returns to falsely stating that "The machine is up to date", while
  apt and even the abandoned Synaptic correctly show all the other
  packages as being upgradeable.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
  Package: update-manager 1:16.04.15
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-58.64~16.04.1-generic 4.15.18
  Uname: Linux 4.15.0-58-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.19
  Architecture: amd64
  CurrentDesktop: MATE
  Date: Wed Sep  4 14:40:56 2019
  EcryptfsInUse: Yes
  GsettingsChanges:
   b'com.ubuntu.update-manager' b'window-height' b'893'
   b'com.ubuntu.update-manager' b'first-run' b'false'
   b'com.ubuntu.update-manager' b'window-width' b'757'
   b'com.ubuntu.update-manager' b'launch-time' b'int64 1567633200'
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-04-29 (1589 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu MATE 14.04.1 "Trusty Tahr" - final amd64 (20141111)
  PackageArchitecture: all
  SourcePackage: update-manager
  UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2018-03-18 (535 days ago)

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