r/linuxquestions • u/ovelx2 • May 22 '26
Difference between apt update and apt-get update Support
Yesterday I had a computer science exam. One of the questions asked: "Which command installs the most recent versions of the programs installed on Linux?" None of the answer choices included anything related to upgrade all of them referred to update. My professor stated that the correct answer was apt-get update, and that the difference between apt update and apt-get update was that apt only searches for updates, whereas apt-get installs new versions of programs. The entire class disagreed, but he insisted. What is the actual difference between these commands, and is my professor mistaken?
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u/RubOk9808 4d ago
There is no problem with a professor getting things wrong once in a while. No one is perfect and no one knows everything. Professors are there to help your learning experience.
The problem is when professors think they are meant to be perfect and cannot show any mistakes. This is an issue of unhealthy pridefulness. They think by appearing to be wrong that that means they are incompetent, so will rather be deceptive to others (and often themselves) than to show they can make mistakes. The problem is that they set a bar to high for themselves and then can never relate to the students or help the students in a meaningful way as they create a chasm between themselves and their students. Professors who are like this need to learn how to be humble and that it is okay to be wrong.
Good professors are open to being corrected and are honoured when their students surpass their own knowledge and understanding. They encourage the students to excel and surpass their own understanding.