Pop-up windows about upgrades are really annoying. But a simple text output of the sort described, that doesn't ask for any input, would be a good idea I think.
-M.Hampton On May 18, 11:18 am, "William Stein" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi, > > This is a discussion of update/upgrade notification for SAGE for normal users. > Feel free to read it and share your thoughts. > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > Another suggestion I have, automatic notification of major new > > version releases: > > > Say once a week, when you start SAGE, it checks with the canonical > > SAGE server on the Net and if a significant version (like 2.5) has > > been released, it just says something like "A newer version of SAGE > > with software enhancements, version 2.5, is now available. If you > > have administrative privileges for SAGE you may wish to install it > > with the command "sage -upgrade" from the command line. Note that > > this may take some time, depending on the speed of your computer and > > network connection." > > Maybe. I'll running it by sage-devel. One of the things I hate most > about software is stupid frickin' automatic notifications about upgrades... > They drive me crazy. Especially Adobe Acrobat's. > > > > > Otherwise, people may get way behind without ever knowing it, and run > > into problems/difficulties/errors/frustrations you've already long > > since solved. > > > I don't know how often, for example, I see people still running > > Firefox 1.0 or 1.5, both insecure and long since superceded, with no > > idea that there's a newer, better version available. > > > And, on the SysAdmin side, the mathematicians bugging the SysAdmins > > due to the upgrade message will get the SysAdmins to install the > > newer version, which they otherwise may have no clue was even released. > > > Of course, you've got to be real sure that the -upgrade works real > > well! > > > Arthur > > > Maybe. I'll running it by sage-devel. One of the things I hate most > > > about software is stupid frickin' automatic notifications about > > > upgrades... > > > They drive me crazy. Especially Adobe Acrobat's. > > > You don't want to make it too obtrusive, but if someone's not on Sage- > > announce (or one of the other mailing lists) which I assume most > > normal users aren't, > > True. > > > or you don't go to sagmath.org (which I assume > > most wouldn't much if they're just a normal user) how would someone > > ever know if a new and improved version came out? > > They wouldn't, unless they type upgrade(). > > > I mean, I'm in the new and improved software business, mathematicians > > just want to do math... they mostly don't want to screw around with > > computers so mostly don't pay much attention to software at all, > > unless something breaks, and often not so much even then. > > > Adobe Acrobat's upgrade notifications suck. But so do Adobe's > > installs, especially their network installs. > > > *Don't* ever make it an automatic upgrade, though. I hate those. > > Those massively suck. > > -- > William Stein > Associate Professor of Mathematics > University of Washingtonhttp://www.williamstein.org --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ To post to this group, send email to sage-devel@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/sage-devel URLs: http://sage.scipy.org/sage/ and http://modular.math.washington.edu/sage/ -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
