[Bug 1122564] Re: software updater lacks check button

[Launchpad Bug Tracker]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

** Changed in: update-manager (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Confirmed

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1122564

Title:
  software updater lacks check button

Status in “update-manager” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  Yes, I realize that the design as indicated by
  https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SoftwareUpdates shows that it was intentional
  to remove the button.  I am here to report the design is flawed for
  several reasons.  Please read the following scenario carefully:

  Computer (running Ubuntu 12.10) is turned on and connected to the
  internet, updates are discovered but not installed before the computer
  is shut down (in my case because I was on battery in a cafe).

  Computer is turned on days later but only connected to the internet
  after maybe 5 minutes.  Software updater still says 10 updates are
  needed.  I know there should be more but there is no button to check
  and after 30 minutes it has not rechecked (poor but valid according to
  the design).  I could have rechecked from the command line but the
  average user could not so I did not.

  I let update manager do the 10 updates after which it stated my
  computer was up to date.  Knowing better, I invoked it directly from
  the Dash.  It did the immediate check and found 1 security update, 4-5
  regular updates and 3 optionals.  This could have been worse as we
  know that one of the common failures is when the update want to update
  a package to Ver X but before doing so, Ver Y comes out and Ver X is
  not available (or similar scenarios).

  As I see it, there should always be a Check or Re-Check button
  (especially if checking was done more than X minutes ago).  Another
  option (less palatable to some) would be to always recheck before
  doing updates and re-verify if more are found.  A worse alternative
  would be to re-check AFTER doing updates.  Not doing so raises the
  risk of inexperienced users being confronted with errors they are not
  prepared to handle.

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