a confusion regarding package updates

[Alan Pope]

On 19 January 2011 12:33, Tapas Mishra <mightydreams at gmail.com> wrote:
> 125 packages can be updated.
> 77 updates are security updates.
>
> Before I do any command as below
>  apt-get update && apt-get -y upgrade > /dev/null
>
> I want to make sure it does not upgrades from 10.04 to 10.10 I do not
> want the OS version to change.

It wont. The only way you'll go from 10.04 to 10.10 is if you do one
of the following:-

1) Run update-manager and click the "upgrade to 10.10" button (I'm
guessing this is a server so slim chance of this)
2) Run do-release-upgrade
3) Edit your /etc/apt/sources.list and change lucid to maverick then
upgrade using the apt based tools.
4) Install 10.10

Don't do any of those and you'll stay on 10.04.

> So can any one tell as if the above way of doing(installing updates
> and security updates) is correct or not.

It's not.

apt-get update
apt-get dist-upgrade

If you do "upgrade" and not "dist-upgrade" then there's the
probability that some packages may get held back (not upgraded).

The man page for apt-get explains the difference between "upgrade" and
"dist-upgrade".

Al.