[Bug 1764928] [NEW] Please document apt-daily

[madumlao]

Public bug reported:

The following systemd services are installed along with apt:

/lib/systemd/system/apt-daily.timer
/lib/systemd/system/apt-daily-upgrade.timer
/lib/systemd/system/apt-daily-upgrade.service
/lib/systemd/system/apt-daily.service

By default, these run the equivalent of "apt update", and "apt upgrade"
at specified times. However, this behavior is documented nowhere in the
man pages or /usr/share/doc.

Furthermore, they run the command /usr/lib/apt/apt.systemd.daily, which
is also undocumented, nor does it respond to a --help option. A non-
savvy Linux user will not be able to determine that this is a shell
script and find out what it does. Or worse, a partially-savvy Linux user
will be able to determine that this is a shell script, and will read it
imperfectly (usage is also not described in script comments) ending up
with a wrong idea of what it does.

The idea is to keep the system updates. That is a GOOD THING (tm).

But it relies on undocumented behavior. That is a BAD THING (tm).

Can we have the apt-daily service documented?


madumlao at lezard ~ $ lsb_release -rd
Description:	Ubuntu 16.04.4 LTS
Release:	16.04


apt version: 1.2.26

** Affects: apt (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1764928

Title:
  Please document apt-daily

Status in apt package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  The following systemd services are installed along with apt:

  /lib/systemd/system/apt-daily.timer
  /lib/systemd/system/apt-daily-upgrade.timer
  /lib/systemd/system/apt-daily-upgrade.service
  /lib/systemd/system/apt-daily.service

  By default, these run the equivalent of "apt update", and "apt
  upgrade" at specified times. However, this behavior is documented
  nowhere in the man pages or /usr/share/doc.

  Furthermore, they run the command /usr/lib/apt/apt.systemd.daily,
  which is also undocumented, nor does it respond to a --help option. A
  non-savvy Linux user will not be able to determine that this is a
  shell script and find out what it does. Or worse, a partially-savvy
  Linux user will be able to determine that this is a shell script, and
  will read it imperfectly (usage is also not described in script
  comments) ending up with a wrong idea of what it does.

  The idea is to keep the system updates. That is a GOOD THING (tm).

  But it relies on undocumented behavior. That is a BAD THING (tm).

  Can we have the apt-daily service documented?

  
  madumlao at lezard ~ $ lsb_release -rd
  Description:	Ubuntu 16.04.4 LTS
  Release:	16.04

  
  apt version: 1.2.26

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