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from the if-some-is-good-then-too-much-is-not-enough? dept.
Bruce Byfield's Blog on Linux Magazine explores the upgrade treadmill.
Byfield relates an old comic by Christiann MacAuley that depicts how Linux, Windows, and Mac users relates to a pop-up announcement saying: "An Update is Available for Your Computer".
The Linux user is enthusiastic, the Windows user groans, and the Mac user is glad it will only cost him $99.
One reason for switching to Linux used to be to get off the forced upgrades path common to proprietary software. Yet Linux users seem to have kept the urge to upgrade, even when the necessity was removed. Even when security fixes are back ported, to Long Term Support releases, we just can't seem to resist an upgrade.
Byfield explores the issue of upgrades, and why we Linux users feel compelled to perform major upgrades. Not only the minor patches to fix bugs that happen ever week. We routinely seem to rush in and put our entire systems at risk by installing complete system upgrades to new kernels, whole new desktops, sometimes new file systems, and even the dread systemd.
It's an interesting read, and set me wondering why so many Linux users chase upgrades for little or no new features.
(Score: 2) by mmcmonster on Wednesday October 28 2015, @10:02AM
I'm using Linux Mint Cinnamon Edition. I'm not really sure which version it is, but when the repositories stop working I'll upgrade to the latest LTS.
That being said, whenever it says I have updates (typically security, but I had added some repositories so II do get fresh application updates at times) I update pretty much the same day.
I feel the urge to update the OS as well, but remember two things: 1) figuring out the laser printer setup usually takes me a half hour to get right and 2) I've got a samba share on this computer which is not just shared locally but also by some other computers via ssh and I really don't want to mess that up unless I have to.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Wednesday October 28 2015, @01:45PM
Well to me there's a huge difference between the security updates and updating the OS release. The regular Mint updates you do on-the-fly are just for security or bugs, not for major version changes or anything like that. Everyone should stay up-to-date on that stuff. It's when you start making major changes to the OS (all new desktop environment release, changing the init system, etc.) that you're likely to run into problems.