There is a cron job, that is run as root and daily checks if "automatic updates" are enabled. If so it downloads the latest repository information.
Gnome-app-install should only warn you, if you have changed something in your sources.list. Perhaps we will get a dbus interface for the package manager that would allow passwordless package installation/reloading of repository infromation for administrative users. If you don't want to be asked for your password, run "sudo visudo" in a terminal and change the admin line to: %admin ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL -- Gnome-app-install requires sudo to update repository listings https://launchpad.net/bugs/64714 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
