For example, right now PackageKit is 0.7.4-2.16.1 from the Current repos, but in Tumbleweed there’s 0.7.4-2.5. So if I do a “zypper dup”, I get the one from Current and not the one from Tumbleweed (since it picks the one with the higher version number). Is that the correct behavior?
One interesting note is that if I “switch system packages” to Tumbleweed, the text works correctly during the boot splash. In contrast, if I do a “zypper dup”, which switches a number of packages back to Current repos (since the version numbers in those repos is higher), the text on the boot splash is broken.
So, basically I guess what I’m asking is, am I supposed to just trust that “zypper dup” gets the correct packages, or should I be forcing it to use the ones from Tumbleweed even if it thinks they’re older?
IIRC there were some problems with zypper dup behaviour, depending on if you used the DVD or KDE Live CD for install.
I think where the CD was used and then following the guide, zypper dup wasn’t doing ‘dup’. But that’s not your issue… Just thought I would mention it.
Zypper dup is a dangerous tool. I wouldn’t just run it with many different and conflicting repositories enabled. You might end up with a mix of packages from all of them. Though I have little interest or knowledge about tumbleweed, so I personally can not correctly advise you of the method to update to it.
Everything I’ve read says to just use “zypper dup”, but it surprises me that the boot splash text works correctly when I follow the non-recommended route and not when I follow the recommended route. It also surprises me that packages in Tumbleweed are older in some cases than those in current.
It also surprises me that packages in Tumbleweed are older in some cases than those in current.
Not me. It’s dependant on several factors.
But if you are using Tumbleweed you typically wouldn’t know what was in other repos outside of the tumbleweed recommends.
Depending of course what you mean exactly by ‘Current’
If you mean the Tumbleweed Current updates, oss…etc then it’s fine, dup should give you the newest package from the tumbleweed repos you have.
Tumbleweed is for advanced users and if you find as you have, where certain package/s work better, then you can choose to use those and report the detail to the mailing list for a fix.
Yes, as the Tw maintainer (Greg K-H) supports and tests using that method, and he has stated it is normal behaviour to have package sources change between tumbleweed and openSUSE (current) repos.
One interesting note is that if I “switch system packages” to Tumbleweed, the text works correctly during the boot splash. In contrast, if I do a “zypper dup”, which switches a number of packages back to Current repos (since the version numbers in those repos is higher), the text on the boot splash is broken.
It’s quite reasonable for you to decide to go with the unbroken one as a workaround and/or report the bug (optional). Any problems caused by the workaround and a decision to abandon it is down to you.
So, basically I guess what I’m asking is, am I supposed to just trust that “zypper dup” gets the correct packages, or should I be forcing it to use the ones from Tumbleweed even if it thinks they’re older?
It’s your system/call. Generally you would go with the supported tumbleweed method i.e. zypper dup. Occasionally (rarely so far), you may need to workaround it depending on the seriousness, i.e. its impact on your operation.