Re: When to reboot after dist-upgrade?

[Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>]

> I'm trying to distinguish when a system reboot is an absolute need
> and when it is absolutely safe to keep the system running/working
> after a `sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade`, once
> I have already performed a complete restart of all needed services
> through `sudo needrestart' options in Debian testing.

I think the only reason you might "absolute"ly need to reboot is if
a newer kernel fixes a security hole to which your current system is
vulnerable.  Since your kernel might include security holes to which you
happen not to be vulnerable (e.g. because you just happen not to use
that part of the kernel, or for some other reason), it's in generally
extremely difficult to determine with a 100% certainty whether or not
a reboot is "absolute"ly needed.

Me, I basically only reboot in 2 cases:
- the power went out


        Stefan