Re: Updates vs. patches
From: Nils Petter Vaskinn (no@spam.for.me.invalid)
Date: 02/17/03
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From: Nils Petter Vaskinn <no@spam.for.me.invalid> Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 14:00:14 GMT
On Mon, 17 Feb 2003 14:39:02 +0100, bill wrote:
> I'm new to Unix/Linux/Debian administration. I've inherited a laptop
> running Debian, and I'm trying to reduce my complete cluelessness as
> quickly as possible. Can someone explain to me why there are both
> security updates and patches? My understanding is that one applies
> security updates with something like apt, and one applies patches by
> first invoking the patch command and then rebuilding the kernel. Is
> this correct? Which is the best approach?
>
> Many thanks!
>
> bill
A secutity update is usually the complete compiled program (or selected
changed files) that you use to replace a previously installed binary.
A patch assumes you've compiled and installed a program from source code.
The patch file (or diff) contains the difference between two versions of
the source code (the original version and one where the security flaw is
fixed). You use this to change your copy of the source code (using patch
program) , compile and install again.
Updating binary packages is easier than patching source. diffs are (much)
smaller and are better if you have tuned and/or modified the source and
compiled for your specific system.
e.g For a compiled program that takes 2MB a fix of a tiny error yould
require a new 2MB transfer, the patch could be as small as 10 lines of
text.
NP
NP
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