Difference between revisions of "Patching"

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There are very few Operating Systems that have an adequate patching process for applications. The only two I recommend to someone who is too busy to track all of their installed applications is [[FreeBSD]] and [http://www.debian.org Debian GNU/Linux]. Apparently you can do this with [[RedhatDependencies|RedHat]] and its offspring, but I've heard about a lot of issues with "dependancy hell."
 
There are very few Operating Systems that have an adequate patching process for applications. The only two I recommend to someone who is too busy to track all of their installed applications is [[FreeBSD]] and [http://www.debian.org Debian GNU/Linux]. Apparently you can do this with [[RedhatDependencies|RedHat]] and its offspring, but I've heard about a lot of issues with "dependancy hell."
  
It should be noted that this is usually because the SysAdmin has installed packages from different distributions.  For example, installing SuSE packages on a RedHat system is <i>asking</i> for trouble.  Packages built for a specific RedHat version almost always work, as do packages rebuilt from .src.rpm files. (RedHat is quite a bit nicer, once you learn to build your own .rpm files)
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It should be noted that "dependancy hell" is usually because the SysAdmin has installed packages from different distributions.  For example, installing SuSE packages on a RedHat system is <i>asking</i> for trouble.  Packages built for a specific RedHat version almost always work, as do packages rebuilt from .src.rpm files. (RedHat and other RPM-based systems are quite a bit nicer once you learn to rollo  your own RPM .spec files)
  
  
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You will need [http://www.freshports.org/sysutils/portsnap portsnap], [http://www.freshports.org/security/portaudit portaudit] and [http://www.freshports.org/sysutils/portupgrade portupgrade] installed to use these:
 
You will need [http://www.freshports.org/sysutils/portsnap portsnap], [http://www.freshports.org/security/portaudit portaudit] and [http://www.freshports.org/sysutils/portupgrade portupgrade] installed to use these:
  
<nowiki>#!/bin/sh</nowiki>
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  #!/bin/sh
 
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  # update
<nowiki># update</nowiki>
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  # /usr/local/sbin/portsnap fetch && /usr/local/sbin/portsnap update && pkg_version  -v -l < #EOF
 
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  #!/bin/sh
<nowiki>/usr/local/sbin/portsnap fetch && /usr/local/sbin/portsnap update && pkg_version  -v -l "<"</nowiki>
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  # upgrade
 
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  portaudit -F && portaudit
<nowiki>#EOF</nowiki>
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  portupgrade -a
 
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  #EOF
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
<nowiki>#!/bin/sh</nowiki>
 
 
 
<nowiki># upgrade</nowiki>
 
 
 
<nowiki>portaudit -F && portaudit</nowiki>
 
 
 
<nowiki>portupgrade -a</nowiki>
 
 
 
<nowiki>#EOF</nowiki>
 
  
  

Revision as of 11:59, 27 January 2006

There are very few Operating Systems that have an adequate patching process for applications. The only two I recommend to someone who is too busy to track all of their installed applications is FreeBSD and Debian GNU/Linux. Apparently you can do this with RedHat and its offspring, but I've heard about a lot of issues with "dependancy hell."

It should be noted that "dependancy hell" is usually because the SysAdmin has installed packages from different distributions. For example, installing SuSE packages on a RedHat system is asking for trouble. Packages built for a specific RedHat version almost always work, as do packages rebuilt from .src.rpm files. (RedHat and other RPM-based systems are quite a bit nicer once you learn to rollo your own RPM .spec files)


OS Specific

Using Debian GNU/Linux it's as simple as "apt-get install update && apt-get install upgrade" and all of your installed applications will now be up to date!

With FreeBSD it's a little more complex. I've created two shell scripts which I've named update, and upgrade. You will need portsnap, portaudit and portupgrade installed to use these:

 #!/bin/sh
 # update
 # /usr/local/sbin/portsnap fetch && /usr/local/sbin/portsnap update && pkg_version  -v -l < #EOF
 #!/bin/sh
 # upgrade
 portaudit -F && portaudit
 portupgrade -a
 #EOF


In Windows, use internet explorer to go to Microsoft update. Let it scan your computer and install all of the high-priority/recommended updates.

Rumour has it that OpenBSD is building a portupgrade-ish tool, and I will surely switch to them at that point, based on their security history.