AutomaticUpgrade

Revision 5 as of 2005-10-26 16:48:29

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Summary

This is a proposal for an application capable of easing the transition from one version of Ubuntu to the next.

Rationale

At the moment people who want to upgrade from one version of Ubuntu to the new release will have to update their sources.list manually, and then do a dist-upgrade. For most people not experienced with Ubuntu, using the command-line is a big step (see CommandLineDisintegration), especially where it concerns something as important as an upgrade. Aside from this, many people might not know that a new version of Ubuntu is available.

The Starter Guide in Ubuntu 5.10 contains instructions on how to upgrade ... to Ubuntu 5.10. Instructions on how to upgrade to Ubuntu 6.04ish could not be included because they depended on knowing the codename for that release, and the codename was not announced in time.

Use cases

Scope

Design

My proposed solution is to make a small application that will depend on the desktop metapackages (ubuntu-desktop, kubuntu-desktop, xubuntu-desktop), and will have a menu entry in System->Administration (and its KDE/XFCE equivalents).BR This application would only become part of the ubuntu-desktop package once the next release has been released, at which time it would be automatically uploaded to everybody who hasn't removed the ubuntu-desktop meta-package.BR After this had happened, there could be a notification similar to what now happens after you upgrade the kernel, only stating that there is a new version and that the user might want to look at the Automatic Upgrade application.BR The application itself would only contain several buttons:BR

  • [Upgrade to Breezy] - would change the sources.list, and do a dist-upgrade.
  • [Show me the release notes] - would open the release notes in the user's browser. Preferably a local copy that came with the application and also contains links to where the CDs can be downloaded.
  • [Where can I download the CD?] - would open up the page with the CDs that can be downloaded for those without the necessary connection, but able to download them elsewhere. This might be overkill as the links are already present in the release notes as well.

  • [Send me the CD] - would open up the [https://shipit.ubuntu.com/ ShipIt page], or a simple form that already takes the information from About Me.

  • [Cancel] - for those who don't want to upgrade now.
  • [Remind me one month from now] - a checkbox for periodic reminders.

Pros

  • This solution would let users know that a new version is available, and offer them an easy way to upgrade to this version.
  • Users who do not want to update only have an unobtrusive entry in their Administration menu, and could in theory remove that. Although doing that through synaptic would break the ubuntu-desktop meta-package.

Cons

  • This solution only works for users who still have the (x|k)ubuntu-desktop metapackage installed. On the other hand, the users who no longer have that are most likely the ones who know how and when to do an upgrade anyway.
  • There would be a high clutter factor for in having an entire Administration menu item for something that, on average, is going to be used less than once in six months (since some people will upgrade using a CD or not at all).

Implementation

Code

Data preservation and migration

Outstanding issues

BoF agenda and discussion