Software updater does not seem to run for "desktop" user

General Help
#1

I’m preparing my elder laptop for someone else, and want him to run as desktop user, with no sudo rights for normal work. So I defined this userid as type desktop in the user and groups dialogue. Then I added another userid for administative purposes, having sudo rights. So far all is good.

However the software updater process does not seem to run when the desktop user logs in. The application’s icon never appears to notify the user. It does, however, as when logged in as admin user.

Software updater’s settings are as follows:

  • Look for updates: daily.
  • Notify about security updates: immediate.
  • Notify about other updates: immediateis.

I don’t want to tell him, he needs to manually check for updates every so often. What setting, or group membership is missing for the desktop user for the software updater to run automacitally?

#2

I’d have to look it up properly later. But can’t you define that user in sudo to only allow sudo access, to the apt-get command or possible the GUI update software?

#3

From this website.

sudo visudo

Add this line to the bottom of the file.

harry ALL=/usr/bin/apt-get

This reads as user account harry can use the listed commands on all hosts connected to this network. There is one command listed, which is “/usr/bin/apt-get.” We can grant Harry access to more than one command by adding them to the command list, separated by commas.

Now Harry can run the following sudo command only.

sudo apt-get ???

#4

So apt-get is all the user needs to be allowed to run? This is the information I needed. Thanks.

#5

That didn’t work. The user can do an sudo apt-get manually, after entering his password. But the software updater still doesn’t run automatically. Something else is needed, but I don’t have a clue what this is.

#6

I’ll need to find out what the software updater command is but I’m not at my laptop till tomorrow.

#7

No hurry.

#8

It’s /usr/bin/update-manager.

I had to add to desktop and then right-click->Properties to get the full path and command name.