Holding back the base-files package

[Coastie]

...  "Okay, they updated the package.  Now they want to know if I want to use a new, generic configuration file for it, or keep the one I have?"  ...

My confusion was that I thought "they" was Valtam so if that was what he recommended I would do it. Fortunately, he gave us what to enter into the terminal to avoid this confusion in the future.  8)

[Valtam]

I have been doing some more research on this and found another solution that for me is preferable to 'apt-mark hold'. For the brave, try the following:

Code:

sudo leafpad /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/local

this will open a blank file, paste the following into it:

Code:

Dpkg::Options {   "--force-confdef";   "--force-confold"; }

Save and close. When you run updates, the 2 prompts for 'lsb-release' and 'issue' are now automatically answered 'N' without any user interaction. Explanations: --force-confdef: ask dpkg to decide alone when it can and prompt otherwise. This is the default behavior of dpkg and this option is mainly useful in combination with --force-confold. --force-confold: do not modify the current configuration file, the new version is installed with a .dpkg-dist suffix. With this option alone, even configuration files that you have not modified are left untouched. You need to combine it with --force-confdef to let dpkg overwrite configuration files that you have not modified. Tested on a fresh install of LL 2.0

[Coastie]

... For the brave ...

That may work for the brave but not for the confused like me who do not understand Jerry's explanation.

Should I just continue go with the default (the capital Y or N) recommendation? ???

[sysdrum]

As I work through the changes from Xubuntu vs LL I have found that due to changes in kernel level along with other issues; the only option is to say No as there are more changes under the hood that will break grub.

I understand Jerry (Valtam) is correct in holding back changes as the kernel is being changed on a low level on the (X)ubuntu upstream. As I am running 3.13.0-39 on xubuntu but even LL 2.2 beta is running 3.13.0-24

I personally avoid pushing any changes I do not control. But of course I also understand that there are large number of user who come from the closed world where patch Tuesdays are the only way to run things and of course even patches in that world break things just look at Directx or .Net things that are frameworks in the that world.

But I digress one must look at the concept here: New users need to be safe guarded from the chance of breakage. Advanced users need the flexibility to make changes and they stick. Plus sudo users need to own all the things to feel like it is their world after all.
So safety first flexibility second and Control third.
which follows the moto:
[tt]Simple to use, fast to run and free as in beer and speech.[/tt]
That is my rant for the day.