PPAs - Upgrade or backports, which one does what?

[Thomas00]

The Updates PPA has minor point releases, generally speaking. For 18.04 as an example, there are Plasma LTS updates, version 5.12.X. These are updates to the current Plasma version in 18.04, and would not provide any new versions, say 5.13 or 5.14.

Ah, ok, now I got it.

[claydoh]

Thanks for getting back so quickly Acheron!



Ok, understood. And how's the update ppa different?

The Updates PPA has minor point releases, generally speaking. For 18.04 as an example, there are Plasma LTS updates, version 5.12.X. These are updates to the current Plasma version in 18.04, and would not provide any new versions, say 5.13 or 5.14.

[Thomas00]

Thanks for getting back so quickly Acheron!

That includes our development release 19.04; and when we think it safe to do so, sometimes things that are in preparation for it. Example of that is Plasma 5.14 in 18.10 backports, which are done in staging PPAs for 19.04 but not uploaded to the main distro yet as there are/were other things like ongoing transitions of other software to see finished 1st.

Ok, understood. And how's the update ppa different?

[Snowhog]

When I install a Kubuntu release, currently Kubuntu 18.04, I enable all the repositories in the Kubuntu Software tab (Download from the Internet) except for Source code (I don't compile from source, so...). These include main, universe, restricted, and multiverse. I ensure that Canonical Partners is enabled in the Other Software tab. I also enable all the Kubuntu updates in the Kubuntu updates tab. These include Important security, Recommended, Pre-released, and Unsupported updates. Finally, I add the two Kubuntu ppas: kubuntu-ppa and kubuntu-ppa/backports.

I've been doing this for every release of Kubuntu I've run. When ever I launch Kubuntu I update the package cache check for/install package upgrades, currently with sudo apt update and sudo apt full-upgrade. My systems, configured and maintained in this way, have always been ROCK STABLE.

Am I correct in my belief, that this approach is the 'closest' you can get to having Kubuntu be a 'rolling release' without it actually being one?

[acheron]

Note: I just quickly revised the PPA descriptions yesterday to try to make it clearer.

I'll review it again over the next couple of days to see it it can be made even more so, without writing an 'essay'.

[acheron]

This PPA will receive major version updates backported from later Kubuntu releases

That includes our development release 19.04; and when we think it safe to do so, sometimes things that are in preparation for it. Example of that is Plasma 5.14 in 18.10 backports, which are done in staging PPAs for 19.04 but not uploaded to the main distro yet as there are/were other things like ongoing transitions of other software to see finished 1st.

I'll update that description slightly.

Does that mean that if I am on the latest release already, adding the backports ppa is pointless?

No, as there will be new things coming from development to backport when safe to do so.

[Thomas00]

After reading this thread https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...6-04-and-18-04 and the description of the two PPAs, I am not sure if I fully understand how they differ.

Backports

This PPA will receive major version updates backported from later Kubuntu releases

Does that mean that if I am on the latest release already, adding the backports ppa is pointless?
-> This is for users on < 18.10 which don't want to upgrade the platform but still want the latest of KDE Platform, Plasma and Applications as well as major KDE apps for Kubuntu?

Whereas the updates ppa would give me bugfixes as soon as they become available no matter which release I am on?
-> If I am already running the latest release I need updates and not backports