dnf vs packagekit updates: still unclear
Further to earlier help on this forum, I've been happily sticking to using terminal and dnf to update. I understood that gnome packagekit uses a different database and thus the possibility that later remove or uninstalls could mess up my libraries due to them using different databases.
So this morning I run my customary:
$ sudo dnf --refresh upgrade
Upgrade completes and I reboot (not strictly necessary perhaps, but an old habit). I then see a notification from Software Manager saying updates are ready.
Sometimes/often it is the case that this is simply an overlap, and that invoking Software manager again will refresh and show that "software is up to date". Today however, despite "clean all" and a complete refresh of the repos, followed by a restart, Software Manager is again showing updates. Clicking on it gives, for once, more explicit information. The updates are:
a patch to Firefox (Firefox was updated this morning with the dnf refresh but has not since found this patch); an update to Typing Booster, and - most problematic "OS Updates: Includes performance, stability and security improvements".
My question then is: what exactly is going on here? I was advised to stick to a single method for updates so as not to run into trouble with maintenance. According to dnf, after a complete clean and refresh, there's nothing to do, but Software manager wants to install unnamed system updates.
Is there something else I should be doing? Could I, for example, somehow simply mark everything as installed rather than mark individual packages? (this would be extraordinarily time consuming, assuming I could even find the list).
Are these sorts of basic conflict likely to continue? I understand that this is a rolling development but c'mon - conflicts between the core OS and desktop environment at this stage? Really? Would I be better off with Ubuntu or Opensuse instead? Perhaps I'm expecting too much of Fedora?
I'd like ONE, guaranteed, reliable and consistent method to ensure that things are kept orderly. I've now been running this install (number five) for about a month now with no major headaches! ;0)
Hi, sounds like you are already using the ONE update method (dnf). As you said, Gnome Software does not combine well with it (but will be some time in the future). Just keep continue using dnf, turn off the notifications of Gnome Software, don't open it, and be a little bit patient.
Nobody can tell you if you are better off with other GNU Linuxes like Ubuntu or Opensuse, That question appears to be too subjective.
Thanks. So you're saying that it's basically safe to ignore other updates, and that by never updating gnome software no major breakages or security holes are likely to occur?
There remains the question of course of why Gnome might find a further update to something like Firefox, while dnf finds nothing (and which particular 'patch' is listed as disabling the Arc Theme - come on people!)
Patience? Sure, as long as some sort of proper integration IS going to occur, rather than everyone chasing decorative features at the expense of basic functionality... the eternal debate ;0
Yes, there are no "other" updates. The two update methods mentioned here are installing the same packages from the same servers (/mirrors), they are just not synchronizing their actions (and maintaining common meta information and cache and so on).
But rest assured, you will not miss anything at all, if you just stick to dnf. Maybe the problem will be fixed with Fedora 25...or 26
Regarding your "missing" update. It is likely that you already installed it (
sudo dnf historyandsudo dnf history info <last-ID>to check), and Gnome Software didnt realize it yet. I had that in the pastif it's of interest to you: ran dnf history but no detail in there with regard to specific libs installed.
As an example, this Firefox thing. This morning's dnf update did update FF to version 46.0.1 You tell me that there are no other updates that dnf hasn't/won't find. If I run Software Manager, it tells me:
• Added fix for rhbz#1332821 - Crash on "Select" in "Open with" dialog • Added patch for rhbz#1332875 - new Samba auth reponse • Disable dark theme until we support it correctly (mozbz#1216658)
Okay so I'm not going to install it, but none of this kind of info appears under dnf.
See my answer below in regards to FF.
As for the information of changelog, addressed patches, and bugfixes of packages that become available in the repos, when using dnf, you will have to look them up here or here, or here(F23) or for actual changelog even here in Fedora's build system Koji, e..g FF