[Bug 2047778] Re: Software Updater unable to cancel Ubuntu Pro upgrade

[Mark Jones]

c_starchaser, Fair point!

Sebastien Bacher, it's a very light nag, if that. Personally, I only saw
it as a reminder and, while the first couple of times I did find it a
little irritating, I did ultimately opt in to Pro (and was glad I did
and could do so for free).

The difference between a light nag and a helpful recommendation, it
seems reading into the comments, is the ability to decline the
nag/recommendation. If there was a way to refuse further reminders
rather than being given the option to only "Remind me later" that might
make the bulk of complaints go away.

I would not mind it personally if turning the reminders off required a
hoop or two to jump through and a strongly worded explanation as to why
not subscribing, and why turning off reminders, is not a good idea if it
means people can do so knowing what they are doing and why.

I expect some people might want an easier way to turn the reminders off,
say, with just a click of a button. I think that might be too easy to
overlook what is being offered and why. So perhaps the ideal solution is
somewhere between allowing it to be turned off with the risk of people
not understanding what they will be risking and missing out on, and not
allowing it to ever be turned off at all?

My suggestion for this is some smallish text above the buttons saying
"To turn off Ubuntu Pro reminders click here". The hyperlinked text
should open Ubuntu settings where a checkbox can turn reminders on or
off. Above this should be the aforementioned explanation as to why
Ubuntu Pro is a good thing and what not subscribing might entail.
Perhaps the checkbox should be labelled with "I have read the above
explanation and agree to not receiving further reminders about Ubuntu
Pro".

After the reminders are turned off, the text on the Software Updater
that previously mentioned turning off reminders about Ubuntu Pro could
be changed to say something like "To learn about the additional security
that can be obtained by subscribing to Ubuntu Pro, click here". The
hyperlink would open the same Ubuntu settings dialog. I think that would
be unobtrusive enough but stops it from being completely out of the
user's eyesight since they may at some point in the future be in a place
where they do actually want it but may have forgotten it exists.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2047778

Title:
  Software Updater unable to cancel Ubuntu Pro upgrade

Status in update-manager package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
   Every time I invoke Software Updater I get a list of Ubuntu Pro security updates, and a message at the bottom that for those updates I need to enable Ubuntu Pro, with only one other button to choose, "Remind Me Later".  I searched for Ubuntu Pro to find out what it is, and came to the conclusion that I do not want it;  but there seems to nowhere be any means to permanently reject its installation.  Every time I reboot the computer I get the same files offered again, and the only options again are to enable Pro or be reminded later, neither of which options reflects my will and desire.  Is this an option, as it seems to be dressed up to be?, or is it a MANDATORY upgrade?  My experience as a user is one of confusion.
    (I can still upgrade my packages through Muon Package Manager, though;  but Software Updater appears to have been rendered permanently useless by this persistent nag.)
    Perhaps this is very poor and misguided marketing trick;  rather than a software bug.
    What IS a bug, however, is the inability for a user to block a package or upgrade through the Software Updater interface.  This permanent nag with Ubuntu Pro points to a deficiency in Software Updater.  There ought to be a way to say NO to an upgrade in a way that sticks.

  Info:
  My computer is an old Lenovo T440 laptop.
  ~$ lsb_release -a
  No LSB modules are available.
  Distributor ID: Ubuntu
  Description:    Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS
  Release:        22.04
  Codename:       jammy
  Using Lubuntu desktop.

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