Re: [Ayatana] Updates on Login

[Steve Dodier <sidnioulz@xxxxxxxxx>]

So is it possible to know *before* when a reboot will be required ? Very likely yes, right ? It only happens when hardware drivers and kernel get updated ?

The packages list is updated when the computer is turned on, anyway, but let's assume Mr. User didn't do his updates Monday, then Tuesday he can be offered this update on GDM (i don't think its feasible on boot if we already list other OSes according to the new Boot specs, and since there is already disk encryption  + fscheck). And if the user clicks on "Updates available (reboot needed afterwards)" in GDM he's asked to identify in order to process the updates, and then it updates and reboots.

But if Mr. User refuses to do the updates, update-notifier should bother him, or not ? And on next computer boot, should it still be on GDM ?

As for updates on shutdown, Alex raises a good point. It requires the user to stay in front of the computer, so I suggest that instead of doing updates "on shutdown", the shutdown GUI says "There are updates available, it is recommanded to do them before shutting down, click here to open the Update manager", and it opens the Updater Manager. Once updates are done, it offers to proceed with shutdown.

I know that in most cases this is not needed since the update will happen well, but i think its better to make users expect to have to act. If their mirror goes down, if debconf asks if a file should be merged, if a dep is broken, if a public PPA key is missing, then the user will need to be able to act in order to solve the problem.