Check For Updates

[corrados]

Copy from https://sourceforge.net/p/llcon/discussion/developerforum/thread/506419bd89

Please add a Check For Updates function (menu item) to the Client and Server (GUI). It could be done in phases:

1. Query Github to see if there is a newer version than what is running, and informs the user, perhaps with a hyperlink to the newest version.
2. If there is a newer version, offer to download it.
3. After downloading, automatically install.
4. Provide an "always update on startup" option.

[pljones]

I've had something similar in a few applications I've written.

• Publishing the new application release created a file "latest.txt" or similar in a known location.
• The user could manually request this or set an option to do it each time the application ran (at most once a day).
• The application would download the "latest.txt", which contained:
  • the latest version number
  • the URL to go to
  • a description

The version number would be compared with the running application version number and, where newer, the user offered the option to go to the URL, also displaying the description text.

I actually implemented it twice, once in C# and once in Scala.

The Scala version is here:
https://github.com/pljones/jTrapKATEditor/blob/master/src/main/scala/info/drealm/scala/updateTool/Checker.scala

The slightly more cumbersome-looking C# one is in several places, of which this is one:
https://sourceforge.net/p/sims3tools/git/ci/master/tree/s3pe/Settings/AutoUpdate.cs

[corrados]

The Jamulus software contacts some server and queries some information. Then it maybe downloads a file and executes it. I can see multiple ways for a hacker to use this to modify informations and inject unwanted code. Before anything is implemented, we should discuss possible security issues here: #314

[WolfganP]

It's interesting to have the program check for updates. Probably a good start will be to just check and notify, and let the user take action (ie just implement your 1st step aboce)

[pljones]

I don't like "automatically run" but a lot of users seem to want this from software to make their life a one click solution...

[gilgongo]

It's speculation of course, but an update notification might prompt some server operators to upgrade to make use of genre-based Central Servers. This might further reduce the numbers on the defaults as there are a lot of pre-3.5.4 servers running. But it's perhaps a minor point :-)

[pljones]

They'd have to upgrade to get support for the notification.

[gilgongo]

Initially, yes (hence my "minor point"). I was thinking further ahead if update notifications mean that server operators don't simply stick with the version they first downloaded, as currently seems to be the case for many. Out of sight, out of mind, as it were.

[pljones]

If they were running the server as a service, even if it notified once a day (rather than only on start up), they operator would still need to check the logs. Most of the time the server really is out of mind, as it just works.

To get any attention - and it wouldn't be a very nice approach - you could update the server welcome message to indicate it's out of date. Everyone entering the server would then see it. Hopefully the server operator would eventually spot it...

[gilgongo]

Yes, not easy. I guess perhaps the only realistic route to encouraging upgrading to a given version is if a change (or security issue?) was introduced to prevent old servers from connecting to new central servers perhaps.

But I guess there isn't much reason to encourage people to upgrade servers really. It might benefit other server operators by freeing up more slots on the two former geo-based central servers perhaps, and of course help clients who wanted -F.

[gvermag22]

It's somewhat unfair that JamulusOS has an update Jamulus ability, but Mac and windows don't. Moreover, one must go through multiple steps to update Jamulus on Mac, which is not such a good experience. We realize that Jamulus is evolving, and it would be better for users to know the latest features by trying them out in an easier manner. There should also be an easy/intuitive way for people to review the release notes for a specific release version. e.g. I have no idea what are the new features/enhancement in version 3.5.8

[pljones]

It's somewhat unfair that JamulusOS has an update Jamulus ability, but Mac and windows don't.

Someone put the effort in to make it happen. It's not a matter of "fairness". The Linux build itself doesn't, it's just like the Windows one and the MacOS one.

JamulusOS is an entire Linux Distribution, like CentOS or Ubuntu, not just the Jamulus software. So, just like Windows will update itself, JamulusOS (the operating system) will update itself.

So really, a "like for like" complaint would be "There's no version of Windows with Jamulus built in and maintained by the Microsoft OS maintenance team" or the equivalent for MacOS.

[gvermag22]

JamulusOS was an excellent idea, and we are thankful for the great development work.

…

On Sat, Jul 4, 2020 at 10:00 AM Peter L Jones ***@***.***> wrote: It's somewhat unfair that JamulusOS has an update Jamulus ability, but Mac and windows don't. Someone put the effort in to make it happen. It's not a matter of "fairness". The Linux build itself doesn't. JamulusOS is an entire Linux Distribution, like CentOS or Ubuntu, not just the Jamulus software. So, just like Windows will update itself, JamulusOS (the operating system) will update itself. — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#370 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AQCIRBPSKUWF4MUSCL75PETRZ5N2PANCNFSM4OAZVQKA> .

[pljones]

Actually, I take part of that back.

I'd have been better saying "Why don't Microsoft and Apple make a standard distribution mechanism for add on apps?" And I guess they do - they both have app stores. So, just like many of the Open Source Linux Distributions have people contributing Jamulus builds to them, enabling users of those distributions to get automatic updates, it may be possible for someone to publish builds to Microsoft and Apple stores. Never having used either store, I wouldn't know.