[KLUG Members] Re: problem with updates on Ubuntu 7.1

[Robert G. Brown]

I have seen what Brock originally described on several occasions, and it
is a byproduct of the sorts of update tools that have come into common
use.

Most of the tools (rpm, YaST, etc.) pack up the software needed for the
update, scripts to actually do the install, and a statemnt of some rules,
mostly about what is needed on the system prior to being able to install
the package in question.

Let's say that you don't do an update for a while. In the meantime, the
developers have been real busy, and cumulatively, they didn't write only 1
new version of the package in question, but 2. Also, the very newest
version requires 2 libraries, and the upgrade of a third.

Now the update process starts. A lot of these "repositories" determine the
number of updates needed when your system queries the repository database,
in essence saying (given what I have on the system here), what updates are
available? The repository essentially determines how many updates are
needed to update the SOFTWARE YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW (not shouting, this is an
important point to remember).

So you download and install all of those updates. afterall of that dust
settles, someone (you, the update manager process) eventually gets around
to doing another database query. Because you have changed the software on
your system, you may now be eligible for MORE updates than before! How
can this be?

When this all started, let's say you had a package called "A", and it's
version 2.3.4. The repository query says there is an upgrade available,
"A" version 2.3.6. So your update got and installed "A" 2.3.6. the next
query shows that "A" version 2.4.0 is available (but it required 2.3.6 to
be installed, 2.3.4 was not "good enough"). Also, 2.4.0 requires the
"Flivver"and the "Blabber" libraries (to process "Flivver" Image formats
and "Blabber" audio files, of course), so "A" can show this stuff to the
user. Thus your inital update showed 1 update available ("A" 2.3.4 to "A"
2.3.6) and the second update shows THREE updates ("A" 2.3.6 -> 2.4.0, and
libflivver AND libblabber). This can go on for several levels if you wait
long enough to do updates, but persisting with the process ought to catch
you up.

> Too late.  I am hosed.
Hosed?

  Regards,
   ---> RGB <---

PS: Living in the very Shadow of the Linux foundation!

> ----- Original Message ----
>
> Date: Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:20:17 -0400
> From: Michael Lueck <mlueck at lueckdatasystems.com>
> Subject: Re: [KLUG Members] problem with updates on Ubuntu 7.1
> To: "The main KLUG mailing list." <members at kalamazoolinux.org>
> Message-ID: <48725E61.5070404 at lueckdatasystems.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Greetings Brock-
>
> No idea why it is doing what you describe.
>
> However, Ubuntu 7.10 release is to be AVOIDED like a plague.
>
> Both Ubuntu 7.04 and 8.04 are rock solid.
>
> --
> Michael Lueck
> Lueck Data Systems
> http://www.lueckdatasystems.com/
>
>
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