On Sat, 17 Sep 2022 20:24:16 +0200 "Carlos E. R." <robin.listas@telefonica.net> wrote:
On 2022-09-17 20:16, Marc Chamberlin wrote:
On 2022-09-17 09:37, David C. Rankin wrote:
On 9/16/22 19:44, Marc Chamberlin wrote:
Back in the days when I was studying Computer Science, one of the cardinal rules of software engineering we were taught was - "Never Never Never destroy user data! Don't even touch it without first backing it up (for the user also) and be ready to restore software and data if anything goes wrong.
Oh how true.
While this update shouldn't destroy data, the fact that it prevents you from reverting to your old setup if something goes wrong -- is almost as bad.
But you can not revert, it is impossible. The new version of Th can not work with the old config. You have to revert the program as well, which needs some sort of backup.
Yes, before doing the automated conversion the program should warn the user of what is going to happen in case he wants to abort and make a backup. No! I have to disagree, the user does not necessarily know what needs to be backed up. There are perhaps obvious data files, (in
On 9/17/22 04:44, Carlos E. R. wrote: this case those files in the TB profile directory) but what about other places data might be stored? Databases? Configuration files under /etc? /opt? etc.
There are none. And it is documented, I'm almost sure. Similar to this:
<https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer>
Well yes, but how does every user happen to know for sure? With absolute confidence? How does every user happen to know even that something written about thunderbird on a site hosted by something called mozilla might be reliable? You're presuming far too much knowledge of every user. Marc is right.
Only the software development engineers know for certain what needs to be protected and backed up. The TB update process/software should preserve and backup all user data before proceeding with an irreversible upgrade.
Even if they do, there is no way to revert the process once the admin upgraded the code.
Well that's a different question, not a reason to not backup user data! If the admin is of a multi-user system then one would hope that they have such a plan, and even better if the thunderbird authors provide one ready-made. Then the admin's backups might not be needed :)
And a route to revert back to a working state, should be automated and presented to the user in case the upgrade fails. Only the software development engineers really know how to do this. Having the ability to revert is a part of the credo to "Never destroy user data" which also includes things like preserving configuration data, schemas, design patterns etc.
Marc...