Making the move from Windows to a Linux-based desktop operating system like Ubuntu has presented minor challenges, pleasant surprises and even a certain level of catharsis. As I close in on one month using Ubuntu as my daily driver, I want to detail as much of this journey as possible for others considering taking the plunge. This time around it’s a closer look at what ultimately pushed me away from Windows: updates!
Updates on both Windows and Ubuntu come in many forms. You have security updates, feature updates and software updates among others. If you’re someone who’s ever entertained the idea of ditching Windows for Linux, chances are Windows’ aggressive update behavior is a primary reason.
Microsoft’s system update policy has reached a point where it's implementing artificial intelligence to guess when a user is away from their PC so that Windows can reboot and apply the latest updates. When I wrote about that so many people said “hey, what about just letting the human in front of the PC make that choice?”
While Windows 10 does give users some level of control over when to update, it still has a nasty habit of forcing a reboot on us where work can be lost if we're not diligent about rebooting. Or it simply results in a headache and lost time.
So that’s been one of the most refreshing things about using Ubuntu so far. No forced reboots, no aggressive update nags. And the fact that the majority of the software you’ve installed on your own (via the included Software Center or Snap Store) updates right alongside the system.
But as a Linux novice I didn’t understand what was happening behind the scenes from a technical standpoint, so I reached out to Will Cooke, Engineering Director for Ubuntu Desktop, to shed some light on this.
It makes sense to start with something important like software security updates. These are updates that occur due to potential security flaws discovered in existing software. “These updates are by default downloaded and applied in the background without any user interaction because we consider them to be so important,” Cooke says.
If an affected application is being used, Ubuntu simply waits until the software is closed. Once it’s reopened the new version is loaded. No nags, no interruptions, no stepping through multiple dialogue windows. It’s pretty much an invisible process to the user.
I mentioned Snaps in my last two articles about Ubuntu, and for good reason. They’re one-click installs of popular software (like OBS, Skype, VLC, Telegram, Discord, etc.) that the operating system itself manages updates for. Updates for these apps are also rolled out automatically, meaning it’s not required that you open and update each one separately. In rare cases they may require a reboot to be fully installed, but Ubuntu never forces the issue.
Livepatch: Windows Needs This
Cooke is most proud of how Ubuntu handles crucial updates to the kernel. On a Linux desktop, the kernel is essentially the operating system minus the graphical interface. Among other tasks it manages your hardware, memory, disks, user accounts, when software runs and what permissions it has. So kernel updates are a big deal. “These are typically low-level driver fixes which do require a reboot in order to take effect,” Cooke explains. That’s because these modules and fixes are loaded up at boot time and not again later.
What if there’s a critical security update that needs to be issued to the kernel? “In some cases it is possible for us to publish a ‘Livepatch,” Cooke says. “The Livepatch software downloads the new code from our servers and can apply it to a running machine.” What’s that mean? Essentially that your computer is now protected against that security bug without the need to reboot. “It’s fixed on a live running machine. Magic!” Cooke says.
Even Reboots Are Better
Even the act of rebooting your system for updates is better and faster on Linux. Windows will ask you to wait while it applies updates (sometimes while both shutting down and during restart), while Ubuntu just, well, restarts. If updates are being applied it will only take seconds, and I'd argue the typical user wouldn't even notice the time it takes.
The takeaway for me is that Ubuntu (and likely other Linux distributions, though I haven’t dabbled with them yet) handles system-wide updates far more elegantly than Windows does. It not only handles both your 3rd-party software and your low-level operating system updates, but it absolutely never forces you to reboot. And in certain crucial situations where an imminent security bug is present, Ubuntu can patch it up seamlessly without even needing to request a reboot.
This will mean different things to different people. For me, it means I feel more focused and less annoyed when I’m in front of my machine and writing, working, researching or just playing around. And for me, that's what matters most.
Stay tuned for more updates on my Linux journey. If you have questions or just want to chat about this article, reach out to me via the social media links below.
- Ditching Windows: 2 Weeks With Ubuntu On The Dell XPS 13
- Linux For Beginners: What's A Desktop Environment?
- Beginner's Guide: How To Install Ubuntu 18.04
- Ubuntu Guide: Install Drivers And Play Windows Games On Linux
- 5 Reasons To Switch From Windows To Linux Right Now
- How To Try Linux Without Making Any Changes To Your PC
- Elementary OS First Impressions: A Simple, Beautiful Doorway To Linux
- Valve Changes Everything: Windows-Exclusive Games Now Run On Steam For Linux
- Steam For Linux Adds 1000 Perfectly Playable Games In Under A Week
- Open Source Challenge: Why One Band Chose Linux To Record Their New Album
- elementary OS 5.0 Juno: Here Are The Best New Features
