Public bug reported: Binary package hint: update-manager
Severity: wishlist Related to: Bug #1, update-manager, ubuntu documentation Description: Supposedly a release reaches its End-of-Life (EoL). In that case repositories simply disappear, just as they have with 7.04 Feisty, see: http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/feisty/ The old releases archives and installation files are transferred to http://old-releases.ubuntu.com Imagine being a simple user, that has just entered the world of Internet. They had installed an Ubuntu release before and were using it offline, and the release is not supported anymore. With the Internet connection present, the update-manager prompts the user with the choice to upgrade to a newer release and, due to these changes, they can't. Scenario: - A granny has been using a computer with Ubuntu installed. - The same granny recently decided to get connected to the internet, but she was using an Ubuntu distribution that has reached its EoL. - She connects to the internet, says "OK, let's see some Internet-related applications". - She discovers System > Administration > Update Manager. "Oh let's try it and see if there's anything new of games for my grandchildren" - She checks for updates and notices the new release upgrade. "A new version of Ubuntu, how nice, let's download it then!" - She can't upgrade because the repository or repositories are missing and cannot be found. The notification for new release upgrade is still available though. "Oh great, now what do I do?" Problem: This gives out a broken upgrade plan to the user who gets confused. A normal desktop user does not read mailing lists or could be completely tech-agnostic, a person that doesn't know how to connect to the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and find a solution to their problems. I realise that these releases are unsupported and "are supposed to be broken" as many of you think - I'm *not* asking to support with security updates nor to provide new packages for old releases. Tested and reproduced on: Ubuntu 6.10 edgy (upgrade to 7.10 through update-manager) Ubuntu 7.04 feisty (upgrade to 7.10 through update-manager) Ubuntu 7.04 feisty (upgrade to 7.10 with alternate CD) Note: Upgrades with alternate CD *work* if you choose "No" to the question "Include latest updates from the Internet". This step could be included in the documentation. Expectations: I simply wish that the users, who eventually end up using the internet on an old unsupported release, get notified about that. They should be given *at least* a link which they could simply click to find out more information. Solution steps: 1) There should be a way to check for the End-of-Life status from within the repository http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu The same way it gets the "Release" file, there should be a file that states that this current distribution is not supported and not available anymore. There should also be a link explaining more information about it, for example for upgrades from unsupported 7.04 Feisty Fawn to the next supported release, 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GutsyUpgrades This file for End-of-Life could be let's say an RSS feed, showing the supported releases a person could attempt to upgrade to, and the date when is their (of the supported releases) End-of-Life. An RSS Parser with update-manager would do the trick for the client application. 2) As it is now, the update manager shows "Your system is up-to-date". Once update-manager realises that the release it's being run on has a specific EoL tag or file in the archive mirrors, it should state that "Your system is outdated and not supported anymore" (with letters that can be easily noticed, e.g. red colour), along with the link in the help documentation about upgrading to the new release. 3) If the upgrade process involves changing a file's contents, such as the deb source repos in /etc/apt/sources.lists, then the update manager should attempt to do that on its own (with a Yes/No confirmation by the user). This step is a bit far-fetched, but (1) and (2) are of utmost importance. 4) There should be a link to the help documentation about the new release and how to upgrade, I mean it should refer to the latest supported or LTS release, for example: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HardyUpgrades In that link, there should be a section for end-of-life upgrades (as I mentioned in a note above), with enough information to at least attempt an upgrade, even on an unsupported release. Attached are some screenshots I've taken during the upgrade procedures. ** Affects: update-manager (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: New -- When a release reaches End-of-Life, update manager should show EoL status and provide a link with working procedures and more information. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/319146 You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
