Here I shall put forth my proposal for the SolusOS upgrade path.
Current Issues
New releases cannot be kept separate due to the use of one repository. This means that by the time comes for a new SolusOS release, current users already have most of the packages that have been upgraded, but without any of the customizations.
Briefly Outlined
Time between releases is semi-rolling. This is problematic.
Broken packages may be introduced without the proper testing
There is no distribution upgrade path
The Solution
We will switch to using segmented repositories. A snapshot of the last release will be copied into a new repository, and all upgrades will be pushed to this repository. When the new release is ready, an update manager will inform the user, which will then allow them to switch to the newer repository, opening up a stream of updates.
Implementation
A new update manager will be written or forked for SolusOS. This will periodically check against a server for the latest SolusOS Release. If it finds a newer version, it will prompt the user to upgrade their distribution. At this point it will change the /etc/apt/sources.list.d/solusos.list file to point to the new repositories.
All and any new updates will then be downloaded. It is often the case that new meta packages will be introduced between different releases. The new update manager will automatically be able to install these new meta packages, ensuring the user has the most recent changes to SolusOS present on their system, without the need to download and install the latest ISO.
Advantages
Allows for clean upgrade routes
Encourages users to correctly maintain their system in a safe and easy manner
Enables introduction of new packages and selections that are not possible in traditional update methods
Disadvantages
Would require extensive testing
Requires the creation of a new tool
Time Scale
The new tool is in need right now. Release Candidate 3 will be built according to these specifications, and a new repository will be created for it. When the time is ready for release of RC3, users will be able to upgrade with no issue.
Development Staff
I propose myself to implement this project.
