FYI,
If I open the "Software" app > updates tab, there are never any updates shown, even after clicking the reload button in upper left.
Checking today it reports "Up to date" and when last checked (now).
Then using terminal,
sudo apt update shows 44 updates available.
New users may only check with the Software App (which is an obvious choice), and never get necessary updates!
Software App is for installing Applications. Software Updater is the application that updates the system and installed applications (but not necessarily flatpak or snap packages). Zorin is not Android, which is where it's updates to Apps come from (Play Store/App Lounge). If you need updates you normally get notified directly anyway, Software Updater will launch and list all the updates that need installing and you can found out information about each update by clicking on the item to be updated. I have covered this in the Unofficial Manuals.
Something seems to be wrong with the updater tool in Zorin 18. Some users no longer receive notifications about new updates. As a workaround, it may help to add the software updater to autostart aa shown in this thread:
But when the software updater doesn't find updates at all this workaround wouldn't help. Then maybe sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade (if you use flatpaks and snaps also flatpak update and sudo snap refresh) added to autostart could help.
Hopefully, the developers will be able to fix the problem soon.
Not only for that. Here is a screenshot of the same app (Software) in Ubuntu 24.04 LTS showing available updates. There is even a little number on the updates tab that shows the number available.
I have to check the Zorin 18 version of Software, but in Ubuntu 24.04 LTS it's 46.0
dmn@Kayleigh:~$ apt show gnome-software
Package: gnome-software
Version: 46.0-1ubuntu2
Not only, yes. The last 2 Entries are Runtime Environment Updates for Flatpak Apps. So, this is related to Flatpak.
The Software app itself - so the gnome-software Package - for Example would be updated trough the Software Updater.
For system updates, Software would include an entry like this:
But, maybe Zorin's version does not have this?
The "Software" app is mainly for updating Flatpak and Snap packages.
If you wish to update APT packages and the system, you need to use the Software Updater app (And Zorin Upgrader to upgrade to a new version of Zorin).
At least thats what i think, it works like that for me.
You may be right. Zorin might configure what updates Software will handle.
I though the software updater is integrated into gnome software and the same function as when it is started separately, but I might be wrong.
That is what I thought, and why I said in the original post that it might mislead new users.
Now I am thinking what Software does depends on the OS you are using!
Yes, but here it depends. Debian 13 Gnome has that because it doesn't have a seperate Software Updater anymore. And I think Fedora Gnome has that, too.
Theoretically, You could try if Gome Software in Zorin would offer System Updates, too when You uninstall the Software Updater. If You want try it, You can uninstall the Software Updater with sudo apt purge update-manager but it seems to have a lot of Dependencies. So, Cautiousness would be good.
No, these are 2 different Applications. And the Software Updater is for APT primary.
Thank you for the information, Ponce-De-Leon! So if someone adds update-manager to autostart, it doesn't update flatpaks and snaps?
What are the name and command for the updater in gnome-software which also updates snaps and flatpaks?
Thanks for the suggestions. I do normally use Software Updater or apt and will continue with those.
My point in the post #1 was that new users will notice the "updates" tab when installing some new Software, and assume that they can do ALL their updating from Software as well. Distro hoppers from Fedora and some other OSes where this is supported may conclude the same. The fact that they cannot do all updates from Software should somehow be made clearer to Zorin users.
Here's some further evidence of differences. Went back into Ubuntu, this time 25.04, and a "System Updates" pane shown in earlier post is showing today:
You can click on the "System Updates" pane to see details:
This tells us the Software App, in Ubuntu at least, is using apt to assist updating the above packages.
The other packages in the main window are either Snaps (Firefox) or Flatpaks.
Finally, Software > Settings > Repositories shows only "Flatpak". Those handled by a plug in to Software.
That's all.
The Software Updater is at the End a graphical Solution for the Update Process in the Terminal. Plus it has some Options like mark/unmark Packages to install/not install them and You can get a Changelog with old version Number, new Versions Number, Description and Changes. That is what I like about it.
It uses a newer/later Gnome Version. So, I guess it is integrated then. On Debian 13 with Gnome 48, I had that, too.
