Ubuntu
update-manager package

"Update", "Upgrade" and "Update Manager"

Asked by Navin Talati

Friends;
As per the advise of one of ourlaunchpad.ne's member I usually feeds
following two command to terminal window.
1. sudo apt-get update
2. sudo apt-get upgrade
Immediately after executing the above commands, when I look at the
"Update Manager" it shows some important updates for security and
others to download and install.
My questions are:
(1)
As once the system is updated and upgraded, why "Update Manager"
shows its need of downloading and installing?
(2)
What is the difference between "Update" and "Upgrade" ?
(3)
What I am doing very frequently with above TWO commands is
a proper way? OR Am I making some mistake?
(4)
Should I download and install through "Update Manager" despite
executing "Update"and "Upgrade" ?
Please guide and oblige me.
Thanks to all in anticipation.
Navin Talati / 23-8-2011

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu update-manager Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
actionparsnip
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
enubuntu (mr.tennents) said : 		#1

1. Maybe after you have launched sudo apt-get install update, upgrade manager has found new update to do and it show them to you.
2. With "update" you mean sudo apt-get update? If yes, apt-get update is used for check new update.
3. What you do in terminal is the same of what you do with Update Manager, but without graphic.
4. You can use what you want, is preferable use Update Manager.

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#2

The update command updates the systems knowledge of packages, so if the update manager GUI app thing sees new versions it wil notify you. The updates are not downloaded and installed (in the GUI app) until you click it and follow the steps there.

apt-get update - Updates the system's knowledge of available packages on the repos and what versions
apt-get upgrade - Compares them and downloads those packages which are newer on the servers than you have installed

Yes it is the proper way. If you use the command line method yourself (I do the same), you can pretty much ignore the GUI method.

If you want your downloads faster, I suggest you run these 3 commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tldm217/tahutek.net
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get -y install apt-fast

And use apt-fast instead of apt-get, it downloads from multiple sources and speeds the downloading process up greatly :)

Revision history for this message
Navin Talati (n-m-talati) said : 		#3

Sir,
Thanks for reply. To some extent the confusion has been resolved.
I would like to understand the following commands:-
You have suggested the following commands for faster downloads
(1). sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tldm217/tahutek.net
(2). sudo apt-get update
(3). sudo apt-get -y install apt-fast
 Here I would like to understand the following:-
(1). Refer the syntax of the 1 st command. Here what
"repository ppa:tldm217/tahutek.net" means for?
Can this syntax be applied for any repository?
(2). In 3 rd command "-y" stands for what? here apt-fast and apt-get both are
existing in the command where as you have suggested that
"use apt-fast instead of apt-get, it downloads from multiple sources and speeds the downloading process up greatly"
means either of any one [" apt-fast" and "apt-get"]is to be used?
(1). Please suggest a simple way to create the SYNTEX of the command
by taking a very simple example.
Please bear with me as you might be feeling the very common matter but as
I am learning linux without having any background of computer science
at the age of 61, please appreciate and guide me accordingly in a
very very simple way.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Navin Talati / 24-8-2011

Revision history for this message
Best actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#4

repository ppa:tldm217/tahutek.net isn'y a thing. add-apt-repository is the command, ppa:tldm217/tahutek.net is the repository to add.

the -y means to just do it, usually you get "This will install 3Mb of data" or some other txt, you wil no doubt say yes so I simply add the -y to assume yes and make life smooth. You could have found this out yourself by running:

man apt-get

It will show all possible switches including that one. You will be able to use apt-fast in place of apt-get to manipulate your packages, either is fine. Something like (it's SYNTAX, not syntex btw):

sudo apt-fast update
sudo apt-fast upgrade

It;s the SAME command structure, again, reading the man page will tell you everything you need.

Revision history for this message
Navin Talati (n-m-talati) said : 		#5

Thank you very much sir.
Your reply in simple way is highly appreciated.
Regards.
Navin Talati / 24-8-2011

Revision history for this message
Navin Talati (n-m-talati) said : 		#6

Thanks actionparsnip, that solved my question.