##(see the SpecSpec for an explanation)

 * '''Launchpad Entry''': UbuntuSpec:other-foundations-n-disconnected-upgrade
 * '''Created''': 24 April 2009
 * '''Contributors''': StefanoRivera
 * '''Packages affected''': update-manager, msttcorefonts, flashplugin-nonfree

== Summary ==

Allow users to upgrade Ubuntu releases without necessarily being able to contact http://changelogs.ubuntu.com/. In many environments (offline / firewalled / restricted) that isn't possible, but local mirrors may be available nonetheless.

== Release Note ==

Todo

== Rationale ==

At the moment, an Ubuntu system can only be (release) upgraded by using apt (advanced user) or the upgrade-manager (GUI / CLI). The upgrade-manager depends on a file hosted on changelogs.ubuntu.com called meta-release, to determine whether an upgrade is possible and locate the upgrade tool tarball.

This blueprint proposes that these files get moved onto normal mirrors so that a disconnected system with a complete mirror available (quite common in the developing world and corporate environments) can upgrade in a user-friendly manner.

=== tumbleweed's story ===

Sorry, I couldn't be at UDS so here's why I called this:

My University has a nasty firewall and forces all port 80 to go via an 
NTLM-authenticating proxy, so we have to use hacks like cntlm and transparent
proxying + cntlm + University proxies, etc.

This is (unfortunately) not an unusual situation in the corporate world. It's 
just a pity my university is so closed-minded, and I'll be getting out of there
ASAP.

Many users with poor connectivity at home, mirror to a big hard drive at work 
and take thier mirror home.

This is all very nice for an advanced user like me, but we have a fair number 
of !poweruser Ubuntu users on campus. They complain that they can't upgrade
their machines, even though we have a local mirror.

Things we do mitigate this:

 1. We mirror (and mangle) the meta-release files from changelogs.ubuntu.com, and [[http://www.leg.uct.ac.za/mirrors/linux/ubuntu | tell users ]] to configure their machines to use them. This is non-optimal.

 2. Our mirror has a virtualhost for changelogs.ubuntu.com so that users can do  {{{http_proxy=http://our.mirror/ update-manager}}} Also non-optimal.

 3. Similar hacks for flashplugin and core fonts.

== User stories ==

 * Walter is a user on a [[http://www.webafrica.co.za/news/adsl_local.html|Local Only DSL Account]]. He has access to the national Ubuntu mirrors, but not Canonical in the UK. He can only upgrade with a CD or aptitude.
 * Thembi is a student at University where http access is firewalled and all students are required to use an NTLM proxy for web access. There is a really fast local mirror, but she can only upgrade with a CD or aptitude as update-manager can't connect to http://changelogs.ubuntu.com/.
 * Joe is at a big corporation with heavy firewall rules. As above...

== Assumptions ==

There are many situations where users can access a mirror, but not http://changelogs.ubuntu.com/ and where access to the mirror is more reliable.

== Design ==

Can we move meta-release et al. to the mirrors?
What would this require?

Can those meta-release files point at the download tool without an absolute 
URL? (i.e. it can be grabbed from the current mirror)

I suppose update-manager would possibly need to poke archive.ubuntu.com too, if 
we don't trust the mirror to be up to date?

== Implementation ==

== Test/Demo Plan ==

This can be tested with update-managers development update mode (-d), before the next Ubuntu version releases.

== Unresolved issues ==

== Other concerns ==
flashplugin and corefonts break offline upgrades. tumbleweed will see what can 
be done here.

Possibilities:

 * Add a preseedable proxy setting to flashplugin
 * Central config file for such packages?
 * Use the same http proxy as apt
  * Con: this could be some apt-proxy that doesn't like non-debs


== BoF agenda and discussion ==

Todo

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