Re: firefox -> iceweasel package is probably not legal

[MJ Ray <mjr@phonecoop.coop>]

Arnoud Engelfriet <arnoud@engelfriet.net> wrote:
> MJ Ray wrote:
> > I just checked and apt-get displays what it is going to install and
> > asks ``Do you want to continue? [Y/n]'' unless the user has explicitly
> > configured their system not to do so.  How is that significantly different
> > to 'coke' at the pub being a transition package that asks whether you
> > want to continue with Pepsi?
> 
> I wasn't aware of that, from what I had understood dependencies 
> install automatically (sorry about that). This is a very big step
> in the right direction. Is there any way to make apt-get say
> "Iceweasel is a replacement for Firefox that will be installed
> instead of Firefox if you say yes below"?

I'm not sure, because I don't remember doing a package name change.

I think it may say something like that if iceweasel
provides+conflicts+replaces firefox in its package control settings, as in
http://www.nl.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-relationships.html#s7.5.2
but I think that would require ftpmaster assistance (because it
makes firefox a virtual package as I understand it and the previous
firefox*deb files may need to be deleted), it may make other tools say
even more inaccurate things about the firefox-iceweasel relationship and
I don't know whether it would give a smooth upgrade like the near-empty
transition package.

I think it might.  I found this in apt-0.6.46.2/cmdline/apt-get.cc
   /* This is a pure virtual package and there is a single available
      provides */
   if (Cache[Pkg].CandidateVer == 0 && Pkg->ProvidesList != 0 &&
       Pkg.ProvidesList()->NextProvides == 0)
   {
      pkgCache::PkgIterator Tmp = Pkg.ProvidesList().OwnerPkg();
      ioprintf(c1out,_("Note, selecting %s instead of %s\n"),
               Tmp.Name(),Pkg.Name());
      Pkg = Tmp;
   }

In other words, I think it could say:
  Note, selecting iceweasel instead of firefox
[...other stuff about packages...]
  Do you want to continue? [Y/n]

So what's the reason not to do this?

-- 
MJR/slef
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