Can I update directly from Ubuntu 9.10 to 10.10?

Ubuntu 12.04 LTS: Why does an update to sudo not require administrator permission to install?

• Recently Ubuntu flashed an update on screen. The only update in the list was to the sudo command. I clicked 'Update', but I was surprised that I wasn't then prompted to enter my administrator password. I would assume that sudo would contain a way to gain root privileges, so an update would require root privileges to install. This doesn't happen, so I assume that Linux separates privileges in some other way. It would be interesting to know exactly what is going on during this process and why the sudo password is not required in this instance.

• Answer:

  If you had very recently used a sudo-like raise in privileges then it may not necessarily ask for your password again.