Kam Leo wrote:
2008/2/25 Mikkel L. Ellertson <mikkel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
Valent Turkovic wrote:
> On Tue, Feb 26, 2008 at 12:01 AM, Kam Leo <kam.leo@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
You are nit-picking. Most users want kernel security updates. Those
>> who have special requirements, e.g. only one particular version works
>> with their setup, will disable updating the kernel.
>
> There are users who aren't aware that kernel updates can stop their
> vmware, vitualbox and other apps that use custom compiled kernel
> modules... I know that you can argue that users should know that
> breaks and what doesn't break their apps, but still a finer grained
> updates would be nice.
>
> I also think that OpenSuse has some think like this "install only
> updates that don't require a restart" (I don't use OpenSuse regulary
> so I can't be absolute sure) and Mint Linux has even updates grained
> with numbers 1-5, 5 being updates that are potentially dangerous to
> break some functionality you have now (like kernels and graphics
> drivers). So you can apply only updates with 3 and lower number and
> only when you choose do the other "more dangerous" updates.
>
> Do you see this as a nonsense or something that fedora would benefit from?
>
Well, unless you change things, you are presented with a list of the
packages that will be installed, removed, and updated. I guess if
you blindly accept the list, you could run into problems. You also
have the option of telling Yum not to consider packages for update.
In any case, if the new kernel breaks things, you always have the
current running kernel to fall back on. So you can try the new
kernel if you want, and if it breaks things for you, go back to the
old one.
Mikkel
With Fedora you have another kernel to fall back on. For openSUSE the
old/running kernel is removed and only the new kernel package remains.
If things don't work after rebooting you need to boot using safe mode
settings; and, if that fails, dig out the install/rescue CD/DVD.
Perhaps that's why openSUSE issues fewer kernel updates than Fedora.
FWIW, I downloaded openSUSE just to give it a whirl. It has a very nice
install process with nice screens and is fairly easy to follow. By default
it creates partitions for / and /home as well as swap and does not use LVM.
As the install completes it offers to run online updates.
Too bad that after all of that it left the / partition 100% full and there
was no easy way to increase the size of /. With LVM it would have been a
snap. Oh well, I suppose all distros have their warts. Will have to try
installing again sometime. Still would like to experience their kernel
update process.
--
Never trust anyone who says money is no object.
