Jaunty's update notifications

[George Farris]

On Thu, 2009-04-23 at 10:32 +0100, Oli Warner wrote:
> >From what I gather (reading forum and brainstorm posts) the topic of
> update notifications may have already been discussed ad nauseum in
> devel but I missed that discussion and I find the current update
> method a mammoth step backwards for usability and security.
> 
> I'm running very much a non-standard install these days. I've tinkered
> with things. I say that because I want to make sure what I'm seeing
> (as a user) is by design and not by some random compound of mistakes.
> So please put me right if I'm describing something that isn't true of
> a fresh install.
>       * Apt is still scheduled to update at ~8am every day.
>       * Update Manager will open if it has standard updates 7 days old
>         or security updates 2 days old
>       * This is done (and I paraquote) to tidy up the Notification
>         Area
> So firstly there's the "random window" usability argument. New users,
> especially those who have migrated from an infected Windows computer
> suffering pop-up hell tend to be incredibly wary of things that just
> appear. 

I agree this is a real set back for me.  Please at least give us the
choice of window or notification, maybe window first with a check mark
to move to notification.  Having a window pop up is horrible.

> That paired with the time delay might lead to occasions where
> everybody has worked really hard to get a security update out and it
> isn't applied for days. The speed that remote flaws are converted into
> exploits is disgustingly fast and it should be the principal concept
> that when we have security updates, we make sure users get them
> installed. Leaving them to stew for days isn't abiding that idea.
> 

If a security update is pushed to the repository then it should be able
to be updated, now, think server admins.


I agree the update system needs to be rethought.

Cheers
George