unity-design team mailing list archive

[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.