[Bug 1988819] Re: When apt keeps back packages due to phased updates, it should list them separately

[Brian R Whitecotton]

Here's an absolutely nutty thought. If packages are held back for any
reason whatsoever...then don't show them and don't count them as
upgradeable because...well they're not.  I see no value whatsoever in
saying we're holding this back due to x,y,z reason.  Just wait and push
the updates when they can, in fact, be upgraded at the end user.  I get
frustrated every time apt update tells me I have N upgradeable packages
but then apt upgrade results in nada, zilch, nothing to upgrade because
all of the packages are held back. Why tell me anything at all if there
is nothing to do?  I do not want to know how many packages are not quite
ready - seems silly.  Just one person's opinion but what do I know?

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to the bug report.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1988819

Title:
  When apt keeps back packages due to phased updates, it should list
  them separately

Status in apt package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released

Bug description:
  After phased updates have been introduced, it may happen that apt
  upgrade shows packages as upgradable but ends up not upgrading them.
  In this case the packages are indicated as being "kept back".

  Unfortunately, the feedback provided about this to the user is not
  very informative. The user sees the packages being kept back and
  thinks something is going wrong on the system.

  When packages are kept back because of phased updates, apt should say
  so e.g., it should say that the upgrade is delayed.

  Incidentally note that aptitude does not respect phased updates.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 22.04
  Package: apt 2.4.7
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.15.0-47.51-generic 5.15.46
  Uname: Linux 5.15.0-47-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu82.1
  Architecture: amd64
  CasperMD5CheckResult: unknown
  CurrentDesktop: KDE
  Date: Tue Sep  6 10:05:14 2022
  EcryptfsInUse: Yes
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2020-02-16 (933 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 19.10 "Eoan Ermine" - Release amd64 (20191017)
  SourcePackage: apt
  UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to jammy on 2022-06-03 (94 days ago)

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/+bug/1988819/+subscriptions