Query about 21.10 release notification

[Bret Busby]

On 18/10/2021, Wade Smart <wadesmart at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Perhaps, someone should tell the update bots to stop doing it, then.
>
> Curious - how did it force an update? Ive never seen that? Do you mean
> it did a update without your permission and then rebooted?

There are two ways that I have so far encountered.

The first, is the dreaded (and dreadful) automatic, unattended
updates, to which I have previously referred on this list, where
Ubuntu decides to do the MS Windows sabotage, and, in the midst of a
user trying to do something, the operating system says "Tough bikkies
- I am here to ruin your day", then it disrupts everything, by forcing
an automated update, to require a system reboot, and, an orderly
shutdown and reboot, can take a number of hours. It is a bit like the
MS Windows security feature - the blue screen of death - except, in
this case, it is not a security feature, because it involves, and,
imposes, unauthorised computer access and unauthorised computer
operation.

The second, is that, having disabled the automatic, unattended
updates, by a bit of minor hacking, when the stuff that requires
rebooting the system to take effect, is discovered in the packages
available for updating (although, they are not separated into a
section with the heading "These packages, when updated, will require a
system reboot", which would otherwise make updating a bit less
unpleasant), in the Software Updater window, and, those packages are
deselected, so that the other packages can be updated without stuffing
up the system, then, when watching the updates progressing, seeing
that the deselections have been disregarded, with the Software Updater
saying "Gotcha - you have no control over your system, and, I am here
to wreck your system", leading to partial kernel upgrades, which might
not break the system when it is not rebooted (it was still usable,
until shutdown), but, then, in an emergency shutdown and reboot (the
UPS has gone a bit wonky, and, so, the system was shutdown for the
time that I was asleep), because I no longer could put the computer
into hibernation, by closing the lid, then, because of the forced
updating, which might have led to a partial kernel updating, the 21.04
installation is corrupted, and no longer will boot, causing the loss
of that operating system.

So, now, the safest way of using Ubuntu, is to use an obsolete and no
longer "supported" version, so I can hopefully be safe from forced
updates.

-- 
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
(UTC+0800)
..............