Inclusion of kernel version in kernel package names: A followup
Hi,
A couple of weeks ago, I proposed a scheme (inspired by Bruce
Perens) for allowing multiple versions of kernel sources and images
to co-exist on any system. This was in some way incorporating prior
art; lots of people like having a known fall-back version available
for emergencies in case a new version is Kaput, and I like the part
when /usr/src/linux is relinked to older sources if you remove the
latest (possibly buggy) version of the source. I received no feedback
on that, and assuming that to be good news, this scheme has been
incorporated into the newer kernel packages (look at
/usr/doc/kernel-source/LinkPolicy for the text of that message).
However, there are a couple of consequences to this scheme
that I thought I should point.
One, since each new kernel version essentially creates a new
orthogonal package (so kernel-image-1.3.95 does not conflict with or
replace kernel-image-1.3.97), and kernel image packages are marked
essential, it is not easy to remove kernel-image-1.3.95 when, say,
kernel-image-2.0.2 comes out. In fact, you have to use
dpkg --force-remove-essential to do so.
This is maybe not of consequence to seasoned users, but this
is less than a satisfactory situation. However, removing the
essential flag does not seem to be the solution, since it _is_
essential to have at least one kernel image on the system.
Secondly, since the actual name of the package is
Name: kernel-image-1.3.95 Version: 1.3.95-0, there maybe versions
1.3.95-2, 1.3.95-4, etc, there never will be kernel-image-1.3.95
version 1.3.97-0. Oh dear, I'm rambling. What I mean is, how do I say
my package foo will need kernel-image, version 1.3.96 or above?
Can I say foo needs virtual package kernel-image, >> 1.3.95 ?
Ian? or is this abusing the virtual package paradigm?
manoj
who sometimes feels that nobody reads his messages since they are too
long and rambling.
--
"IBM: It may be slow, but it's hard to use." -- Andrew Tannenbaum
<trb@ima.ima.isc.com>, author of Minix and Amoeba %%
Manoj Srivastava Systems Research Programmer, Project Pilgrim,
Phone: (413) 545-3918 A143B Lederle Graduate Research Center,
Fax: (413) 545-1249 University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
<srivasta@pilgrim.umass.edu> <URL:http://www.pilgrim.umass.edu/%7Esrivasta/>
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