[packagekit] Package update policy

[Robin Norwood]

Richard Hughes <hughsient at gmail.com> writes:

> On Wed, 2007-09-26 at 15:21 -0400, Bryan Clark wrote:
>>   - Silently download updates in the background
>
> Hmm difficult, as UpdateSystem is a one-method call, not a two level
> "download" and then "install". We could fix that tho, although I'm not
> sure the backends would be able to do what we wanted.

Instead of always requiring a two-step model, you could have an optional
'predownload' step for backends that support 'download only'.  Then when
the 'do updates' step occurs, a smart backend should make use of the
predownloaded bits.

>>  I suppose that's a back-end independent issue really but for the most
>> part updating is somewhat resource intensive and should be done when
>> the computer isn't being actively used.  That said there are lots of
>> gotchas with this in terms of security updates or systems that are
>> used and then suspended or shutdown without much idle time; each of
>> which I believe can have a simple solution. 
>
> I figure try doing when idle, and if never idle, just doing the action
> anyway...

Can we lower the priority of the update backend if the user comes back
from idle?

>> Downloading the updates (and dependencies) in the background allows
>> for a UI that is a simple question of "Do you want these installed?"
>> with no secondary response of "Now wait while I get those things you
>> asked for".  For people who are paying for bandwidth by the byte or
>> something this is a tricky situation, we could try to be smart and
>> detect if you're on a connection like this, however those smarts are
>> bound to fail often and be somewhat confusing.
>
> Sure. People with free EDGE want to do updates over dial up, but users
> on GPRS probably don't.

I think covering this with a preference is probably the best that can be
done for now.

>> Automatic updates are a smart idea, however some people like to have
>> control over their computer being smart.  So there is a first time
>> usage scenario that covers the automatic nature of the system update
>> allow for a point at which people can configure the application or let
>> it do what it does automatically. 
>
> I figured choose sane defaults, to not bombard the user with questions
> on first install...

+1

Though maybe Bryan meant the first time the user clicks on the
packagekit icon, he sees the configuration dialog with the sane defaults
already selected.  I'd be ok with that.

-RN

-- 
Robin Norwood
Red Hat, Inc.

"The Sage does nothing, yet nothing remains undone."
-Lao Tzu, Te Tao Ching