Ubuntu – Is it ok to enable proposed updates during Ubuntu’s development cycle

betaqualityupdates

I like to run the development releases of Ubuntu (alpha, beta, whatever).

Is there any reason why I shouldn't enable proposed updates for Ubuntu before Ubuntu is released as stable?

Are proposed updates different after a stable Ubuntu release?

screenshot of proposed updates options screen from software-properties-gtk

Best Answer

"There is very little benefit to users in using -proposed during the development cycle and such use is strongly discouraged."1

After a new stable release of Ubuntu, testers are encouraged to use the -proposed repository to test Stable Release Updates to help the Release Team decide whether the update should be released to all users. However, during the development cycle, -proposed works differently and the Ubuntu Developers do not recommend enabling -proposed.

During Ubuntu's development cycle, all package updates are first uploaded to the proposed repository. Once the package completes a few basic checks, it is uploaded to the regular repository.

The basic checks include

  • Completion of the build on all supported architectures
  • Completion of any library transitions (libfoo2 > libfoo3)
  • Successful passing of any other automated testing

For many packages, this process can be completed in an hour or two.

If a user has enabled -proposed, they could experience issues with broken packages that have failed some of those basic checks. Generally, it is unnecessary to file a bug about the issue as Ubuntu Developers regularly track which packages fail one of those basic checks.

To summarize, enabling proposed during the development cycle means you have a greater risk of running buggy software and are not really improving the quality of Ubuntu much.

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