On 15/10/18 21:55, RRansil wrote:
> On 2018-10-15, Martin Gregorie  wrote:
>> On Mon, 15 Oct 2018 17:29:31 +0000, Alister wrote:
>>
>>> On Mon, 15 Oct 2018 16:53:22 +0000, RRansil wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm currently using Raspbian Stretch with no problems, but recently
>>>> noticed there is a new version of Raspbian available. Every month I use
>>>> apt-get update/apt-get dist-upgrade, so I'm getting kernel changes to
>>>> the installed Raspbian that way. The Pi's only use at the moment is to
>>>> run a BOINC project headlessly. Are there any reasons why I should
>>>> routinely install the latest Raspbian operating systems as they are
>>>> released?
>>>
>>> there are 2 schools of though on this one
>>>
>>> 1st - if it aint broke dont fix it, afterall if the project is working
>>> perfectly why risk something breaking
>>>
>>> 2nd upgrading the operating system keeps you up to date with security
>>> fixes reducing the chances of something(or someone) untoward happening.
>>>
>>>
>>> I tend to option 1 unless the item his accessible via external
>>> connections (such as but not limited to the internet). even being behind
>>> a firewall is no guarantee, what happens if someone on the inside of the
>>> network becomes infected?
>>>
>> Good summary, though I'd tighten it up a little as:
>>
>> 1)if its working well and HAS NO ETHERNET OR WIFI CONNECTIONS
>>    then leave it alone
>>
>> 2)2nd in all other cases, keep Raspbian up to date with versions and
>>    patches
>>
>> Extension to (2): if it exchanges data with any other system that can
>> transfer software, e.g. by exchanging SD cards, then keep it fully
>> patched.
>>
>> In addition, and I think this applies to both cases 1 and 2; if you
>> upgrade or replace the application/script/whatever that you've installed
>> to make it to do whatever it does, then its a good idea to bring Raspbian
>> fully up to date as part of that process.
>
> Thank you for the helpful information. I'll be updating the OS. I was
> hoping to avoid that due to the fact that it's running headless,
> although I may try to use VNC Connect to do the configurations.
>
>
ssh and apt-get should do routine upgrades on a headless.

IME when doing serious version upgrades is usually safer to back up,
wipe, reinstall new OS, spend a few days patching round all the new bugs
that systemd has introduced, then when it's actually almost stable,
reload your private apps and data back on...


--
"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign,
that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."

Jonathan Swift.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05