I'm always interested in changelogs so I prefer to keep the Description pane open. Before 12.10 its state was remembered so it always came up open. But in 12.10 it's not the case anymore - it's always hidden when Software Updater opens.
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: update-manager 1:0.174.3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-19.30-generic 3.5.7
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-19-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.6.1-0ubuntu7
Architecture: i386
Date: Sun Dec 2 13:04:43 2012
DpkgHistoryLog.txt:
Start-Date: 2012-12-02 12:59:34
Commandline: aptdaemon role='role-commit-packages' sender=':1.81'
Upgrade: activity-log-manager-control-center:i386 (0.9.4-0ubuntu4.1, 0.9.4-0ubuntu4.2), python3-apport:i386 (2.6.1-0ubuntu6, 2.6.1-0ubuntu7), apport:i386 (2.6.1-0ubuntu6, 2.6.1-0ubuntu7), gstreamer0.10-gconf:i386 (0.10.31-3ubuntu1, 0.10.31-3ubuntu1.1), gstreamer0.10-plugins-good:i386 (0.10.31-3ubuntu1, 0.10.31-3ubuntu1.1), activity-log-manager-common:i386 (0.9.4-0ubuntu4.1, 0.9.4-0ubuntu4.2), gstreamer0.10-pulseaudio:i386 (0.10.31-3ubuntu1, 0.10.31-3ubuntu1.1), python-problem-report:i386 (2.6.1-0ubuntu6, 2.6.1-0ubuntu7), cups-pk-helper:i386 (0.2.1.2-1ubuntu1, 0.2.1.2-1ubuntu1.1), python-apport:i386 (2.6.1-0ubuntu6, 2.6.1-0ubuntu7), apport-gtk:i386 (2.6.1-0ubuntu6, 2.6.1-0ubuntu7), python3-problem-report:i386 (2.6.1-0ubuntu6, 2.6.1-0ubuntu7), file-roller:i386 (3.6.1.1-0ubuntu1, 3.6.1.1-0ubuntu1.1)
End-Date: 2012-12-02 13:00:18
GsettingsChanges:
b'com.ubuntu.update-manager' b'first-run' b'false'
b'com.ubuntu.update-manager' b'launch-time' b'1354449855'
b'com.ubuntu.update-manager' b'show-details' b'true'
b'com.ubuntu.update-manager' b'window-height' b'1387'
b'com.ubuntu.update-manager' b'window-width' b'1247'
InstallationDate: Installed on 2011-10-06 (422 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Beta i386 (20110921.2)
MarkForUpload: True
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: update-manager
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to quantal on 2012-10-19 (43 days ago)
According to the specification [1]:
"Below the list of updates should be another expander, “Technical description”, which is always collapsed initially. "
So I would say this is according to the design, although I don't understand the rationale, and can't find it described anywhere. I agree that the description expanded state could be remembered, as non-technical users usually won't expand that, and if they do and they see that at each start it's expanded, they'll collapse it, and technical users' preference will be remembered.
[1] https:/