GNU bug report logs - #62750
29.0.50; Commands 'package-update' and 'package-update-all' should be called '*-upgrade'

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From: help-debbugs <at> gnu.org (GNU bug Tracking System)
To: Adam Porter <adam <at> alphapapa.net>
Subject: bug#62750: closed (Re: bug#62750: 29.0.50; Commands
 'package-update' and 'package-update-all' should be called '*-upgrade')
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2023 23:28:02 +0000

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Your bug report

#62750: 29.0.50; Commands 'package-update' and 'package-update-all' should be called '*-upgrade'

which was filed against the emacs package, has been closed.

The explanation is attached below, along with your original report.
If you require more details, please reply to 62750 <at> debbugs.gnu.org.

-- 
62750: https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=62750
GNU Bug Tracking System
Contact help-debbugs <at> gnu.org with problems

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From: Dmitry Gutov <dmitry <at> gutov.dev>
To: Adam Porter <adam <at> alphapapa.net>, 62750-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
 Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>, Jim Porter
 <jporterbugs <at> gmail.com>, Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> IRO.UMontreal.CA>,
 "Philip K." <philipk <at> posteo.net>, Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Subject: Re: bug#62750: 29.0.50; Commands 'package-update' and
 'package-update-all' should be called '*-upgrade'
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2023 02:27:24 +0300

On 10/04/2023 15:53, Adam Porter wrote:
> But, IMHO, these commands should be named 'package-upgrade' and
> 'package-upgrade-all'.

They have now been renamed (with Eli's blessing in another bug's 
thread). Without compatibility aliases.

Functions inside package-vc.el have been renamed too.

Thanks everybody! Closing.

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From: Adam Porter <adam <at> alphapapa.net>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: 29.0.50; Commands 'package-update' and 'package-update-all' should be
 called '*-upgrade'
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2023 07:53:52 -0500

Hi,

Browsing the NEWS file for the first Emacs 29 pretest, I was glad to see
the following new commands:

    +++
    *** New command 'package-update'.
    This command allows you to upgrade packages without using 'M-x
    list-packages'.

    +++
    *** New command 'package-update-all'.
    This command allows updating all packages without any queries.

But, IMHO, these commands should be named 'package-upgrade' and
'package-upgrade-all'.

In my experience in GNU/Linux systems and other software, the verb
"update" is commonly used to refer to updating the list of available
packages and their versions without changing the installed versions of
packages (e.g. in Debian, "apt update"), while the verb "upgrade" is
used to refer to actually installing newer versions of packages
(e.g. "apt upgrade", or GNU Guix's "guix upgrade").  This terminology 
mirrors the inverse, i.e. "downgrading"; it's not said that packages are 
"downdated" or "backdated."

Even the first NEWS entry seems to suggest this conflation, as it says,
"This command allows you to upgrade packages...".

If it's not too late to make this change, I think it would be
worthwhile, as I think it would help prevent confusion for many users.
OTOH, if Emacs 29 is released with "update packages" meaning "to upgrade
packages to newer versions", we may be stuck with this confusing
language for a long time.

Thanks for your consideration, and for your work on Emacs.

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