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Delta Compression for Linux Security Patches?

Posted by Cliff on from the binary-diffs dept.

cperciva asks: "For people without fast internet connections, it is often impractical to download large security patches. In order to avoid to reduce patch sizes, some operating systems -- starting with FreeBSD over a year ago, and recently followed by Mac OS X and Windows XP SP2 -- have started to use delta compression (also known as binary diffs, which constitutes a portion of my doctoral thesis), and can often reduce patch sizes by over a factor of 50. In light of the obvious benefits, I have to ask: When will Linux vendors follow suit?"

2 of 289 comments (clear)

  1. RED HAT NETWORK WAS BROKEN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    Imagine my suprise when my servers, patched scrupulously on a rigorous schedule, suddenly were listed as needing 114 patches this morning!

    Yup, for the last month or so up2date has been failing to install packages - it downloads 'em, and makes lots of pretty hash marks like it is installing, then DOESN'T INSTALL THEM!

    Red Hat fixed this LESS THAN 24 HOURS AGO

    CHECK YOUR SERVERS PEOPLE

    OR BE ROOTED!

  2. Doctoral thesis by Noah+Adler · · Score: 0, Troll

    In order to avoid to reduce patch sizes Maybe you should've done a doctoral thesis on reading over what you write before submitting it to Slashdot.