Bug#681783: Recommends, and metapackages

[Ian Jackson <ijackson@chiark.greenend.org.uk>]

Here is my proposal for a disposal of #681783, re Recommends and
particularly metapackages.

  Whereas:

  1. The Technical Committee's view is that the existing policy
     on Recommends is correct.

  2. Specifically, we feel that there is nothing inherently wrong with
     using Recommends in a metapackage.  Any infelicities in package
     management software's handling of Recommends (in metapackages or
     more generally) should be treated as bugs.

  3. It may be that policy could be clarified in this area, for
     example to make it clear that if a user chooses not to install
     Recommends, some things may not work, and that that would not be
     a bug.

  Therefore:

  4. We do not make a ruling about the content of policy.

  5. We advise the policy maintainers to consider how to clarify
     this, and to make whatever changes they consider appropriate.

I propose this as a resolution.  In the absence of dissent, I will
call for a vote in a week or so.  If it passes, point 5 (about advice
to the policy maintainers) will be implemented by me filing a bug
against policy.

Ian.