[niemeyer]

There's a long thread with in depth discussion about this:

https://forum.snapcraft.io/t/disabling-automatic-refresh-for...

For those that understandably won't want to go through it all, the short version is that by design snaps will force the update eventually, so that a system isn't simply left behind, but since snapd came out a few years ago we've been constantly working on multiple methods to offer control over when exactly the update takes place. These are features such as:

- Fine scheduling of updates (https://forum.snapcraft.io/t/refresh-scheduling-on-specific-...)

- Disabling over metered connections (https://forum.snapcraft.io/t/snap-refresh-over-metered-conne...)

- Holding of refreshes after boot (https://forum.snapcraft.io/t/delaying-refreshes-and-registra...)

- Manual delaying of updates (can't find topic)

So, the goal is actually to offer control, but we are indeed trying to prevent systems from getting out of date for good. Maybe that's a bad idea, and if it turns out to be we can change that in the future, but we've been making an honest effort to try to fix the problems of automatic updates instead of simply giving up. Once we give up, there's no going back since the dynamics around package updates will change. We have plenty of experience around these aspects with the traditional systems.

[Longhanks]

Sorry, but unless there's an option to hold back the update until I explicitly allow it, that's not being in control. This is still my computer and I decide when to update software.

[vetinari]

This is this being downvoted? He is exactly right.

The ability to pin at specific version is needed not just because, but for multitude of reason: the newer version breaks something, or you have only license for up to certain version (think non-subscription Jetbrains products), etc.

The inability to disable updates removes that packaging system from further consideration. It is a showstopper.

[AnIdiotOnTheNet]

> So, the goal is actually to offer control, but we are indeed trying to prevent systems from getting out of date for good. Maybe that's a bad idea

You think? Someone saw all the complaints about Windows 10's forced updates and thought "we should totally do that too"? Seriously?

[HeadsUpHigh]

Wow this is almost windows level of terrible.