I'm currently using Ubuntu Linux 8.04 Hardy and have my Update Manager set for notifying me if it has new updates to install rather that to do it automatically. The problem I have is with the newest update:
"Version 2.6.24-21.33:

[Stefan Bader]

* ndiswrapper: Prevent buffer overflow if nickname is IW_ESSID_MAX_SIZE
characters long.
- LP: #275860

Which doesn't sound tremendously horrible if installed. However, when I read the description for the above, I was set into a quandry. What follows is the description for this update.

This package contains modules supplied by Ubuntu for Linux kernel 2.6.24 on x86/x86_64.
You likely do not want to install this package directly. Instead, install the linux-generic meta-package, which will ensure that upgrades work correctly, and that supporting packages are also installed.

What bothers me is that it says that I don't want to install it "directly". So what do I do with it? I've done searches for the "linux-generic meta-package" and can't find anything really relevant. I have been keeping up with all the updates, so is it okay for me to install this?

Yes, I'm still very new at using Linux and Ubuntu. I don't want to make any mistakes and necessitate a reinstallation...

Thanks for your due consideration ahead of time.

Don't worry too much - linux-generic is already installed.

You can update safely.

If you want to see info about any package you can use these:

apt-cache search <some_part_of_package_name>

Once it gives you the full name of the package i.e. linux-generic you can get more info by:

apt-cache show linux-generic.

If you want to know if some package is already installed on your system and know at least part of the name of that package do:

dpkg -l | grep <some_part_of_package_name>

Thank you!