[Mageia-discuss] mageiaupdate and the list of updates

[andre999]

Anne nicolas a écrit :
> 2011/7/2 Romain d'Alverny<rdalverny at gmail.com>:
>> Le 2 juil. 2011 à 17:14, andre999<andr55 at laposte.net>  a écrit :
>>> Suppose during the update process you have a check box to put a particular update on
>>> the skip list, or another to uninstall the corresponding package.
>>
>> That would be an interesting option to investigate.
>>
>>> Note that if you can't uninstall a package because it is required, it is usually
>>> inadvisable skip updates, unless you really understand the issues.
>>
>> So the user is stuck: unadvisable to skip the updates, unless she understands the issues
>> =>  just make the update automatic in a background task by default then; one doesn't care
>> about the issues - or won't have a single clue about it either, unless being a specific
>> type of user that would know how to disable this auto update setting anyway).
>>
>>> Changing when the password is requested would reduce the security for the system, as
>>> unauthorised users could see what is installed.
>>
>> Unauthorised users using an authorised session, to be more specific.

Such a situation is far from rare in multi-user environments.
But also if someone doesn't know the root password, currently they can't see 
what is installed.  By delaying it until something is actually updated, they can 
see everything.  So a remote user with limited privileges could more easily 
compromise the system.

>> Security is important. But that's orthogonal to a pleasant/efficient experience.
>> Which is important too. We are aiming at making things for people.
>>
>>> This may not affect you personnally, but such an option would best not be the
>>> default, to protect other systems.  So it could be more complicated than the
>>> changes suggested above, and would only save you a few seconds.
>>
>> "a few seconds" is already a lot for everyone (and even more if the notification
>> breaks your focus). Multiply this by the times such a notification occurs for a
>> typical desktop system, you have a lot of valuable time wasted here.
>>
>> That's not such a ludicrous idea; improving the person experience with the system
>> so she can focus on her task and not on the tool is clearly one of our goals.
>
>> But indeed, perhaps it only requires making this more obvious (that is, integrated
>> in the user flow and interface), how to use the existing options.
>
> Imho those 2 things are bad ideas:
>
> - having updates in background: Interesting thing in Linux is to learn
> people about their system. If they do not want details, then fine we
> can just a way to switch from general mode to detailed one.

That's one thing I like about Linux.  Being able to readily monitor updates in 
detail.

> - giving the possibility of adding easily packages to skip.list is the
> best way to break updates of end users systems. They will skip some
> updates when it's too long for example, without really being aware of
> what they do.

That was part of my concerns.

> Then if an incoming update depends on a specific version
> of skipped package it will just break.  I would rather add this as an
> advanced option in rpmdrake

I agree.
Maybe an advanced mode, like in diskdrake.  (which I use judiciously)

>>
>> Romain

-- 
André