Have another option, add a new flag to packages, unset, it is only
turned off if a USER changes the state of a package (ie, hits install,
remove, purge, etc), serving a double purpose, one could be for packages
which are installed automaticly due to a depend, it would remain unset..
And the other is that if the flag is not set then dselect notices and
stops bugging you about depends on it except when selecting a new
package (NOT on exit)..
Any comments?
Zephaniah E, Hull.
On Sun, Nov 15, 1998 at 09:29:43PM -0500, Christian Hudon wrote:
> On Sunday, November 15, Guy Maor wrote
> > Depends is a required relationship that dpkg will enforce. Recommends
> > is a fairly strong relationship that is difficult to override with
> > dselect. Suggests is a weak relationship that is easy to override
> > with dselect.
>
> The problem with recommends it that when a recommends isn't satisfied,
> dselect will bug you about it on *every session*, and you have to use 'Q'
> to confirm this 'dangerous' setting. That makes recommends almost useless.
> There'll always be someone who has a good reason for not installing the
> recommended package, they'll become really annoyed by dselect constantly
> bugging them about it and will either a) uninstall the package with the
> recommends line, b) will a bug report against the package, saying the
> recommends is too strong and asking it to changed to a suggests or c) give
> up using dselect in favor of some other tool that doesn't bug you to death
> about unsatisfied recommends.
>
> How about changing the behavior of recommends to be just like that of
> suggests, except that the recommended package is selected by default, so
> that you have to unselect it if you don't want it. Most people will just
> plow ahead and hit return (and so the recommended package will be installed
> on most machines), but people who don't want the recommended package can
> unselect it without being from then on condemned to seeing dselect conflict
> resolution screen every time they select/unselect unrelated packages.
>
> Packages who can't function properly in the absence of another package
> should depend on that package, not recommend it. Otherwise, since
> everything *is* working, the sysadmin shouldn't be... well, pestered by
> dselect every time.
>
> Getting off soapbox...
>
> Christian
>
> PS Since dselect will eventually be replaced by apt, another relevant
> question would be "how will apt deal with recommends?"
--
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