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Idea #11000: Quicker, more efficient updates

Written by bryhoyt the 10 Jul 08 at 20:27. Related project: Update manager. Status: New
Rationale
There should be a more efficient format for apt-get (or the update manager) to download updates. Firstly, it should only need to download the files that have changed in a package (not the whole package), and secondly, it should download a DIFF of those files.

My latest update contains a 34.2 WHOPPING MB update to the linux restricted modules. Here's the changelog:

* Fix broadcom Makefile to get correct objects from split-module.

I'm downloading 34.2Mb just to get a *Makefile update*??? I don't even use any broadcom stuff. Even if I did, I probably wouldn't care enough about a Makefile to make it worthwhile downloading 34.2Mb!
Tags: update

539
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #11000
Written by bryhoyt the 10 Jul 08 at 20:27.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #11000 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

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droetker wrote on the 10 Jul 08 at 20:34
dupe of Idea 13.
http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/13

Tree MendUs wrote on the 10 Jul 08 at 23:55
It is possible to choose not to download any particular update.
I agree that the current system looks inefficient.
And your solution is good.

It would also cut down on bandwidth, and server loads, at both Ubuntu and Ubuntu users' ISPs.

magnet14 wrote on the 11 Jul 08 at 02:09
+1 for downloading only changed files

And cutting down on bandwidth would be good if you must pay for every MB/GB

Sidney wrote on the 11 Jul 08 at 09:08
Concerning your example: The makefile update means that the whole package was built again with the new makefile and _that_ is your update. The makefile itself is pretty useless with pre-built binaries.

chipbennett wrote on the 11 Jul 08 at 15:24
Yes, this is a great idea.

However, it is the ELEVENTH duplicate of Idea #13:
http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/13/report_duplicate/

That said, I think the author of Idea #13 really needs to edit the idea to add more relavent keywords/tags so that the idea is more searchable by those keywords/tags.

bryhoyt wrote on the 13 Jul 08 at 20:35
droetker & chipbennett, thanks very much for finding the dupes. You're right -- this is the eleventh duplicate.

Developers, are you listening? This means people really want this!!

Tree MendUs, you're right -- you can choose not to download any particular update, but it's not possible to ignore it permanently. Next time you open the updates window, it'll be selected again.

Furthermore, I like to keep my system fully up-to-date, no matter how little I need or want a particular update. If updates were 10Kb rather the 10Mb, it would help immensely.

Sidney, true, the Makefile means the whole build changed. But still: the build probably only changed by a few Kb (if not merely a few bytes -- just guessing).

origin415 wrote on the 14 Jul 08 at 16:56
Especially bad with OpenOffice changes.
+1


gutnov wrote on the 15 Jul 08 at 21:04
One of the most important things to be implemented!
+1

urandom wrote on the 15 Jul 08 at 22:20
Firefox and Apple updates use 'bsdiff' to send binary data and patch those bad applications. Ubuntu and/or Debian should seriously consider using it as well.

kizza wrote on the 16 Jul 08 at 11:52
Latest changelog for linux-headers:
* Fixed hppa FTBS by adding ABI files from -19.33.

For me this is 26MB, and I don't have a HPPA processor!
def +1

Auzy wrote on the 16 Jul 08 at 13:46
Apparently there is debdelta too (as discussed in the original idea), which debian has used for ages.

yussri wrote on the 8 Oct 08 at 12:21
this is life saving idea especially for us that still using dial up connections

jeanpaul145 wrote on the 8 Oct 08 at 12:58
Even though I like this idea, I think that getting it to work will be tricky since it would have to be changed upstream as well (as in, with Debian and other Debian-based distro's). And getting that through will take time, patience, blood, sweat, a sore throat (interpret that however you like ;) and coding skills.

edajai wrote on the 1 Nov 08 at 06:39
If some ubuntu-developer is reading this, please seriously consider proposing this for the next UDS. We need to implement this for 9.10 atleast if not 9.04, as this is the only area Ubuntu realy lacks behind Opensuse

nickpick wrote on the 24 Nov 08 at 14:03
This sounds good, but I doubt that we'll see it any time soon.


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