[Bug 1180899] [NEW] Update list hides important details

[Yuri Khan]

Public bug reported:

Since Ubuntu Raring, update-manager no longer shows any useful
information by default. I click the Update Manager icon in the indicator
area, select “Show updates”, it shows a list of application names and
“Xubuntu base”, with download size in the right-hand column. To see
exact package names and changelogs, I have to expand the “Xubuntu base”
node, expand the “Technical description” area and click through each
package.

This new display format is a regression for me. In Precise, the list was
flat and displayed application names (package descriptions), package
names and download size, all in the main list, which only required me to
scroll through to see the list of updates and quickly decide if I want
to update now or defer until a more convenient moment; in the new
version, I am confused by multiple packages that have identical
descriptions.

As a user familiar with package naming conventions, I would like to see
the package names and possibly versions (both installed and available),
in the list of updates. On the other hand, the download size of each
individual package is of low importance to me, as I have a fast and
unlimited Internet connection.

I therefore suggest that the list of columns should be configurable
(even if via dconf-editor only), and that columns be added for package
name, installed version and available version.

** Affects: update-manager (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1180899

Title:
  Update list hides important details

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

Bug description:
  Since Ubuntu Raring, update-manager no longer shows any useful
  information by default. I click the Update Manager icon in the
  indicator area, select “Show updates”, it shows a list of application
  names and “Xubuntu base”, with download size in the right-hand column.
  To see exact package names and changelogs, I have to expand the
  “Xubuntu base” node, expand the “Technical description” area and click
  through each package.

  This new display format is a regression for me. In Precise, the list
  was flat and displayed application names (package descriptions),
  package names and download size, all in the main list, which only
  required me to scroll through to see the list of updates and quickly
  decide if I want to update now or defer until a more convenient
  moment; in the new version, I am confused by multiple packages that
  have identical descriptions.

  As a user familiar with package naming conventions, I would like to
  see the package names and possibly versions (both installed and
  available), in the list of updates. On the other hand, the download
  size of each individual package is of low importance to me, as I have
  a fast and unlimited Internet connection.

  I therefore suggest that the list of columns should be configurable
  (even if via dconf-editor only), and that columns be added for package
  name, installed version and available version.

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