On Wed 22 May 2019 at 10:25:25 (-0400), Cindy Sue Causey wrote: > I also use "apt-cache policy". I use that one for taking a quick peek > at whether or not something's installed. It has the added benefit of > referencing a package's upgrade [standing]: > > $ apt-cache policy firefox-esr > firefox-esr: > Installed: 60.6.2esr-1 > Candidate: 60.6.3esr-1 > > There are a couple other lines that go with that I need to personally > research to understand their value. They obviously wouldn't be there > if they weren't of potential importance at some point.
AIUI they indicate the source line by which that version of the package was found, and the priority applied to them by whatever you have set up in your apt configuration. This is what my system showed just before the latest security update to FF: $ apt-cache policy firefox-esr firefox-esr: Installed: 60.6.3esr-1~deb9u1 Candidate: 60.7.0esr-1~deb9u1 Version table: 60.7.0esr-1~deb9u1 990 990 http://security.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates/main amd64 Packages *** 60.6.3esr-1~deb9u1 990 990 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian stretch-updates/main amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status 60.6.1esr-1~deb9u1 990 990 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian stretch/main amd64 Packages $ After upgrading: $ apt-cache policy firefox-esr firefox-esr: Installed: 60.7.0esr-1~deb9u1 Candidate: 60.7.0esr-1~deb9u1 Version table: *** 60.7.0esr-1~deb9u1 990 990 http://security.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates/main amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status 60.6.3esr-1~deb9u1 990 990 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian stretch-updates/main amd64 Packages 60.6.1esr-1~deb9u1 990 990 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian stretch/main amd64 Packages $ Cheers, David.