stop update-notifier when updates have been run, or when no updates available

[Jan Klopper]

Binary package hint: update-notifier

I'd like to propose a way of saving a couple of MB's on the avarage system.

I noticed that when ubuntu starts, it also starts the update-notifier process, which presumably handles the finding of updates, and displaying of the update notifier icon in the gnome tray.

I propose stopping the process when one of two conditions are met:
1) No updates found.
2) All updates run.

I know that update manager checks for updates on more occasions then just system boot, so i'd like to also propose a connecting scheme like firefox uses for directing multiple processes into one.

Eg, the system boots, finds updates, notifies the user,
The user runs all the updates, update-notifier stops.

Either a set time runs by and update-notifier gets started again trough cron. (to check for updates on the following day)
Or, the user selects a new repository, and by doing this, also starts the update-notifier.

The firefox like start scripts should make sure that just one update-notifier is running at any time.

This is one of those little adjustments that saves memmory, and sets the bar a little lower for low-memmory systems.

Its also pretty save to change, as on the avarage desktop, there's a reboot and thus a normale start for update-notifier every day anyway,

[Michael Vogt (mvo)]

Thanks for your bugreport.

The amount of data that update-notifier consumes is not that big, most of it are shared libraries that are mapped into u-n adress space. Those are shared with the other gnome apps.

Cheers,
 Michael

[Jérôme (jerome-bouat)]

There is 1 process which is added to the sheduler list for nothing and they still have memory used.

On one hand you have the operating system developpers which are wondering how to save a few bits or how to schedule the processes, etc. On the other hand you have the update notifier program which is making the process list bigger, which consumes memory (even if a part shared), etc.

I don't know which type of memory it is, but top is showing that adept_notifier is wasting with no activity (no update available):
- 40 MB RES
- 9 MB shared

Moreover if the shared memory is used only by the update notifier then terminating the update notifier will just save the shared memory used.

FYI, Microsoft Windows made all the programs and services try to use the windows task planner (like cron) in order to save the memory which was wasted by Vista. Basically many Windows programs had the same behavior: sleeping most of the time.

The Ubuntu distro is becoming as big as the Microsoft Windows Vista OS ! My next OS will be Microsoft Windows 7 !