Mageia forum

Hi !

I would like to know if it's possible to create an automatic update function on mageia.

As a lot of users I think, I don't even check which package is updated by mageia. I trust you to make better choice than me and to put great updates online for my softwares and my system.
So, I click on the red dot, and after on the OK button.

Would it be possible to have the computer doing that for me ?

Maybe we could define 2 types of updates :
- The critical one : new version, new kernel, new glib C, new KDE maybe(if logged on KDE)
- All softwares stuff other than critical system.

If I had the dot only for the critical one, it would be enough for me.
For some users, the cruitical updates should be automatic too(all these users who know how to use OOO, and that's it...)

A second limit would be the total download size, that we can imagine to setup in the MCC, update section. Some country have very small dl amount and people should be aware of what they download.

Of course this automatic updates would be an option, and definitly not an obligation.

I don't check exactly what is being updated, but I do like to keep abreast of things. Just to know what versions of software I have installed, what sort of update this is (bugfix, security patch...) and most importantly, sometimes I don't want to update software. Maybe it's because of slow nets, maybe it's because I heard that a specific version of some software is no good. Either way, I want to make the decision.
Part of what pissed me off about Windows was that it would usurp all the CPU cycles and bandwidth downloading updates, and only then ask me if I want to install them.
So, no. I don't think automating updates would be a good idea.
What does it save you? Two clicks of a mouse and root password? Big deal. I'd much rather have my freedom, thank you.

Personnaly, as a developper, I don't care at all.

But now, I'm doing an installtion for my step daughter and I'm sure she is not going to worry about that. In 6 month I will see her and I'm sure she wouldn't do any updates for this time. Because she is that kind of people who doesn't want to worry about the system and who doesn't want to learn how it works. She think there is computer guy for that, and I kind of agree with her. I don'rt want to know how to restore painting(her job) but I like to see them.

So, if I keep the system as it is now, she is going to have major security issues on her computer soon. I don't want that.

You said you don't like windows update for that, but I don't want to put this system as a default one for everybody. It should be another checkbox on the MCC.
So if you want it, you get automatic updates, otherwise, you can make your 2 click and scroll updates to check them.

And no, I'm not using root password for that, I put them without password since the begining to prevent her to know the root password(and almost her password).

I think you can use a cron job to install the updates automatically, but the caveat is, if the machine is turned off while urpmi is installing an update, the system be rendered unbootable, or the rpm database could get screwed up... etc. (I think it's an easier job to educate the user, in this case your grandchild, to click the updates notification icon when it's displayed... it's a 5-15 sec. job :)).

I don't think it's an easy job because I already try, and she doesn't care. I meet a lot of people like her who doesn't want to learn and who are totally close to any news in the computer area.

Would it be the same problem if the user put his computer in sleeping mode ?

Windows allow users to not have this issues since windows XP, and I really think it's a very basic wait for users. A computer, a software must update on his own. (check what firefox, flash, chrome, ... do) People are lasy, so if you ask them to choice between a system where you have to work, and another one where everything is automatic, they prefer the automatic one in 90% of case. So we must have this option to be at the level...

Sounds probably a bit easy, but i would suggest making a report in Bugzilla.
Maybe a good idea to considerate for a next release.

https://bugs.mageia.org/enter_bug.cgi?p ... mat=guided

pmithrandir wrote:I don't think it's an easy job because I already try, and she doesn't care. I meet a lot of people like her who doesn't want to learn and who are totally close to any news in the computer area.

Well, you can choose what costs you less time and effort:
- educate her (or others) to click on a red light when it pops up (that's even below chimp level) or
- clean up the mess whenever she calls because her favorite application was spoiled by an unwanted but automatic update
On the other hand, clicking blindly is the same as automatic update, so in the end we will gain nothing either way.

Conclusion: an automatic update as an option (not default!) looks like a nice-to-have convenience feature.

I posted a bug report :
https://bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1508