how do i know i need a reboot after a console based "upgrade"?

[Derek Broughton]

Matthew Flaschen wrote:

> Gabriel Dragffy wrote:
> 
>> But the few packages that do require a restart,
>> e.g. kernel updates, will only be installed when the command
>> 'dist-upgrade' is issued.
> 
> That's incorrect.  The kernel is a normal package, and is updated by
> apt-get upgrade .
> 

You might be half right.  I think there might actually be minor releases
that are versioned.

However, the linux-image* packages, depend on specific kernel versions. 
When the virtual package is updated they change the dependency, so that it
depends on a new kernel.  This is to allow the old kernel to remain on the
machine, so that you don't end up with an unbootable situation.
-- 
derek