The question of how best to present and enable software and system updates to users of Linux has resulted in different distributions doing things their own way.

The Ubuntu-based Chinese distro Linux Deepin, for example, integrates software updates directly into its Software Center.

But Ubuntu uses a Update Manager – a tool that is fairly straightforward to use, but often seen as intimidating by newer users unsure of all the information it insists on presenting by default.

For Ubuntu 12.10 the ‘Update Manager’ tool has been retitled to ‘Software Updater’ – a subtle retitling that affirms the application’s role and purpose.

‘Software Updater’ firmly tells a user that ‘this is the tool that updates your software’ rather than the less-specific ‘Update Manager’ which could be mistaken for only ‘handling updates’.

updates available in software updaterThis renaming lands ahead of a wider UI ‘overhaul’ of the Software Updater app, the results of which we can expect to see develop over the coming months.

Tip: Marco

Image credit: MPT

quantal softwareupdater