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I have some questions about Software Updater and Ubuntu Software Updates.

  1. What is the difference between Software Updater and Ubuntu Software Updates?

  2. After I install Ubuntu what should I do first: the updates from Software Updater and then from Ubuntu Software or the other way around?

  3. Are there any other updates that I should do after I install Ubuntu?

Matsmath
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1 Answers1

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  1. "software updater" is the generic updater. It will scan for updates for all your repositories and PPA's you added. It will scan based on a period set in "settings":

    enter image description here

    If you do not care about what gets updated this one is good enough. And you can set this to silently update.

    Ubuntu Software has its own version on this. Basically it uses the same method but another way of displaying the updates. It shows them per installed software with a fancy icon and description making it easier to check and to install single updates. I assume updating through this is always manual(?) and assume this might only install updates for the software it lists(?) (going to use the next few updates for testing these claims).

    enter image description here

    When you use 1 of them the other will show less and less. Oh, and you can not use them at the same time (the update locks the process for itself until done).

    One thing I noticed: the software updater tells you there needs to be a reboot. The one from SC seems to not do that (just did an update through SCU and SU told me I needed to reboot).

  2. You pick one of them and then other will not show new software anymore. The 1st one will pop up and notify you so might be easier to use.

  3. Device drivers might be an optional extra update. Depending on usage though: if your current one works stick with it (don't try to fix things that work for you).

Rinzwind
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    It frequently happens to me, that I update through Software Updater, and after that I get a notification that OS updates are available in the Ubuntu Software Center. Then I install those as a "second round" of update. – Matsmath Jul 23 '16 at 11:18
  • I had that too just now but the list was then empty :D I believe that the osd-notify is a bit bugged :-X It is far to aggressive showing update notices. Made a small change and will check what happens through SCU and if SU then still shows remaining updates. – Rinzwind Jul 23 '16 at 11:19
  • 1 test: updates through SCU. No notice of reboot. Got popup there are updates. SU told me to reboot. rebooted. NO new updates after reboot. So SCU did all the updates itself. – Rinzwind Jul 23 '16 at 11:24
  • No I just updated with the SU and the SCU still had 'OS Updates' to install, how is this possible? This person has noticed it too – Ads20000 Nov 20 '16 at 14:07
  • There seems to be some difference in software sources, though. On Ubuntu 20.04, I just had two updates in Ubuntu Software Updates: Chromium and a Device Firmware update for my Dell Precision laptop. I then installed all pending updates in Software Updater, refreshed in Ubuntu Updates: Chromium was delisted, but the firmware update is still pending. – Ingo Karkat Jan 23 '21 at 12:34