Bug#484333: assigning to tech ctte (Re: status of this bug)
On Thu, 05 Jun 2008, Robert Millan wrote:
> [ Please don't drop me from CC. The BTS doesn't automaticaly forward
> mail to submitter. ]
Subscribe to the bug if you want to be sure to get all messages to it.
> That would be if the dependency were to last indefinitely.
It would last for the entire next release cycle, and moreover the
problem which you are describing is a general one that applies to all
things which were dependencies which have been downgraded to
recommends.
> My concern is simply that no transition path has been contemplated.
We've explained the transition path; it's upgrading while following
the release notes.
> As a result the burden of figuring out why hitting TAB misteriusly
> stopped working is put on the majority of users,
The majority of users should be capable of reading the release notes.
There's a reason why we spend the effort writing them. A failure on
the part of users to read documentation isn't an excuse for crippling
a system, especially when the negative side effects of failing to read
the documentation are minor.
> Looks fine to me, but please clone instead of reassigning.
If we decide that it should be handled in the release notes, that's
where the bug goes. This is not a bug in bash, but a problem stemming
from apt not following policy. We can circumvent it as we've done
often in the past, by suggesting that people use aptitude or upgrade
apt before upgrading the rest of the system.
Here's a suggested resolution for a CTTE member to adopt and vote upon
to resolve this issue:
--------------
(1) The release notes are suggested to adopt verbiage which explains
that aptitude should be used (or apt upgrade) to properly handle
packages where portions of the functionality were provided by a
dependency are now provided by a recommendation.
(2) Transitions between Depends: and Recommends: where the maintainer
has correctly degreded a dependency are to be handled by release notes
in the case where apt did not previously follow policy.
--------------
Don Armstrong
--
Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on
society.
-- Mark Twain
http://www.donarmstrong.com http://rzlab.ucr.edu
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