How to report out of date system packages?

[TestingLinux2]

I just started using LinuxMint and I was wondering how I can report out of date system packages.

I'm not talking about a small difference - of course the system packages aren't always going to be latest version.
I'm talking about system packages that look to be years behind the latest version.

An example I stumbled upon is Anki. It's like 4 years behind the latest version.

So what would be the proper way to report such a thing?

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: mistake in the title

[RIH]

Mint is not a rolling release.
It is a long term support distribution that offers users reliability.
For this reason, the Applications are rarely updated during the life of a release - except for security updates.
However, for the last couple of years, Mint has also included Flatpak Applications within its' Software Manager and updates for these are also included in the Update Manager routines.
That is the case for Anki, where the Flatpak version is the latest release supplied by the authors.

[TestingLinux2]

For this reason, the Applications are rarely updated during the life of a release - except for security updates.

The thing is that it was already way out of date when the current release of LinuxMint was released.

That's why I was asking about a way to report it. Maybe it was overlooked somehow.

That is the case for Anki, where the Flatpak version is the latest release supplied by the authors.

I just realized, that one can enable unverified Flatpaks in Software Manager. Didn't know that. Although I'm not sure if I would be comfortable to use one. But one never knows.

I was confused for a bit because no Flatpak was showing for me.

But I already got a version via their website, so I'm set for now. But thank you anyway.

[seasons]

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... ug/1958003

[MiZoG]

This is not the usual out-of-date application associated with Mint being Mint, i.e. based on an LTS distro.
This is just a literally unmaintained package. Original debian maintainer has not updated.
Flatpak is convenient but... unverified.
You can find instructions on their how to install anki on Linux and especially on Ubuntu which Mint is based on. Less convenient sometimes, harder perhaps but safer to install an app the way developers intended and perhaps this is the method they only support.
I don't say "don't ever use an unverified flatpak" but... first option: your distro package. If this is unmaintained, buggy, garbage etc you go to original developer's site to seek out alternatives. Last, when you're desperate install a third-party .deb or an unverified flatpak or add a PPA to your software sources and so on and so forth if you want and are convinced there is no security risk.

[seasons]

This is just a literally unmaintained package. Original debian maintainer has not updated.

No. Another maintainer is working on it, but needs some prerequisite pieces: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugrepo ... 958853#101

[Hoser Rob]

This is not the usual out-of-date application associated with Mint being Mint, i.e. based on an LTS distro.
This is just a literally unmaintained package. Original debian maintainer has not updated....

That's usually the case AFAIK. No newer versions made into the repos because no newer versions were sufficiently bug free.

This is just the way Linux is. FOSS projects are wildly understaffed and disorganized because the devs have other jobs that actually pay a salary. One person was maintaining it and then life intervenes. Several years later one other person decides to start maintaining it. This is largely why there are so many forks for no apparent good reason.

[spamegg]

Some apps move fast and break things and change too frequently.
I remember Anki had the Qt5 -> Qt6 transition that created a big split.

When you run into apps like that, you just ignore the distribution package.
Some apps, for example Calibre, will actually tell you to ignore distro packages.
Go get their deb / PPA / Appimage / Flatpak / Snap / whatever they have on their site.
Make sure you trust them of course.

This is on a case-by-case basis, you have to judge each app yourself.

[Hoser Rob]

... Some apps, for example Calibre, will actually tell you to ignore distro packages.....

I actually do install the repo version. But basically I hate Calibre except for the included ebook reader, which is the best Linux one I've found/ AFAIK it's not available as a separate package. It doesn't pull in other crud when you're just using the reader. So yes, you need to look at this case by case.

[spamegg]

That's nice, I also install Calibre just for the Ebook reader, but in the past, the repository versions were broken, maybe it's good now? I haven't looked back

[TestingLinux2]

So the correct way would be to create a bug report on https://launchpad.net/ubuntu?

Just in case I come across another such case down the late.

[Hoser Rob]

So the correct way would be to create a bug report on https://launchpad.net/ubuntu?

Just in case I come across another such case down the late.

I don't think what you're talking about is strictly speaking a bug, and I think the repo maintainers are well aware of what's going on. IOW I think you'd be wasting their time and yours.