Hi,
I was doing an update that update-manager offered to me on my Gutsy machine. One of the packages updated was NetworkManager. As it was being deployed, I saw in the console that it was being restarted (probably in order for the update to take effect immediately).
Unfortunately that means that any existing connection is lost (and then reconnected). What this specifically means that all data transfers occuring before the update are terminated. I e.g. was in the middle of uploading 130 messages through IMAP to my account. Only 30 made it before NetworkManager update took place. I then had to again go through selecting the 100 messages, which took some time and was annoying. I can unfortunately imagine even worse scenarios.
I have 2 ideas how to resolve this:
1. NetworkApplet is not restarted. When the user themselves restart the whole machine, only then the update will take effect.
2. Just as with Firefox, a "lightbulb" icon in systray will appear informing that a restart of NetworkManager is required, and explain that all current network connections will be lost. And it will offer user the actual "button" to do the restart if/when they should need to.
I would clasify this bug (not equal but) near to data loss - imagine you were in the middle of some very important activity requiring network connection - IM with boss, or transferring a huge file.
Thanks for considering this. I hope it makes it to Hardy.
I have a connected problem: the upgrade is not managing to pass the network manager. I have to shutdown entirely to free it up (no access to terminals etc). This happened once with the upgrade on the 4th December and has just happened again with an entirely unconnected upgrade - I guess that the first one didn't finish and that every future update will cause the same problem. i'll try and shutdown the manager and let it complete the upgrade, but...