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<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE chapter PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.5//EN"
"/usr/share/xml/docbook/xml-dtd-4.5/docbookx.dtd">
<chapter>
<title>Keeping Track of Updates</title>
<section>
<title>The -stable Branch</title>
<para>
Whenever a new version of Slackware is released, it continues to be
updated should a security vulnerability be found or a nasty bug begin
to rear its head. For that reason, it's important to keep up with all
the patches for your version of Slackware. We call this the -stable
branch. There is also a -current branch where frequent and intrusive
changes are made, but unless you're willing to work with a broken
computer and fix things on your own, we recommend you stick with
-stable.
</para>
<para>
Since -stable updates aren't distributed on the disks, you'll need to
obtain them from the Internet. Many people and organizations offer
mirrors where you can download the entire Slackware tree, or just the
<filename>patches/</filename> directory in any number of ways. While
some mirrors offer web access, the most common ways of obtaining
updates are via ftp and rsync servers. The Slackware project maintains
a small list of known mirrors organized by country. If you're in doubt
as to what mirror to use, simply consult <ulink
url="http://www.slackware.com/getslack/">http://www.slackware.com/getslack/</ulink>
for suggestions. If you know a major university near you, there's a
good chance they offer a mirror of numerous open source projects, and
Slackware may be among them. The only real requirement for a mirror is
that it be complete, but it's best to use a mirror near where you live
to achieve the fastest transfer times and use the least amount of
Internet resources.
</para>
<para>
So how do you know when there are updates? The best way is to consult
the <filename>ChangeLog.txt</filename> on any up-to-date mirror. You
can always find the latest changelogs for the -current and most recent
-stable branch on the Slackware Project's web page, but if you're
running an older version, you'll need to check a mirror.
</para>
<screen><prompt>darkstar:~# </prompt><userinput>wget -O - \
ftp://slackware.osuosl.org/pub/slackware/slackware-13.0/ChangeLog.txt \
| less</userinput>
Sun Jan 24 20:22:46 UTC 2010
patches/packages/httpd-2.2.14-i486-1_slack12.1.tgz: Upgraded.
This fixes a couple of security bugs when using mod_proxy_ftp.
For more information, see:
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2009-3094
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2009-3095
(* Security fix *)</screen>
</section>
<section>
<title>Security Update Mailing List</title>
<para>
While the Slackware team does release strictly bug-fix patches from
time-to-time, you're probably most interested in security fixes for
vulnerabilities that are discovered in software. The Slackware Project
maintains a mailing list that will notify you if any patches are
released that treat such serious issues. In order to subscribe to the
mailing list, simply send an e-mail to
<email>majordomo@slackware.com</email> with the words 'subscribe
slackware-security' in the body of the message. The majordomo will be
happy to add your name to the list, and when new packages are released,
will mail you an advisory.
</para>
</section>
<section>
<title>Upgrading Slackware Versions</title>
<para>
Now that we've gone this far, you should feel reasonably competent in
your ability to handle your Slackware system. But what do we do with it
when there's a new release? Updating from one release of Slackware to
another is a lot more complicated than simply updating a few packages.
Each release changes a lot of things. Many of these changes are small,
but some of them can completely break your system if you haven't
prepared for them. While some Linux distributions provide highly
automated tools that attempt to handle every tiny detail for you,
Slackware takes a much more hands on approach to things.
</para>
<para>
The very first thing you should do before attempting an upgrade, is
decide if that's really necessary. If the old system is stable and
doing everything you want it to do, there may be no need to do an
operating system upgrade at all. The second thing you should do is read
the <filename>CHANGES_AND_HINTS.TXT</filename> file on your upgrade
disks or a mirror. This file changes between every release, and lists
helpful hints and tips to aid you in dealing with the changes.
Finally, read the <filename>UPGRADE.TXT</filename> file as well before
proceeding. After doing these things, you may find it easier to backup
your configuration files and data, then perform a regular install of
the new Slackware release rather than attempt a possibly tricky
upgrade. If however, you still wish to continue, make backups of your
data and configuration files. At a minimum, it's good practice to
backup the <filename>/etc</filename> and <filename>/home</filename>
directories. This will give you a chance to perform a re-install should
anything go wrong with the upgrade.
</para>
<para>
Since every new version of Slackware has a few differences, giving
complete instructions here is not only futile, but misleading. Always
consult the documentation included on your Slackware disks or your
favorite mirror.
</para>
</section>
</chapter>
|
