Re: Bug in apt-get ? [replace essential package / Yes, do as I say]
According to jgg@debian.org:
> On Sat, Apr 26, 2003 at 11:12:00AM +0000, Miquel van Smoorenburg wrote:
>
> > It seems that currently apt is not able to replace an essential
> > package. Well in fact the package I am trying to replace isn't
> > even really essential...
>
> It is able to, as you demonstrated, it just make it harder than normal.
>
> There are a lot of wonky things that can happen during most of the essential
> package remove scenarios that can completely screw your system so it doesn't
> boot or can't run programs, install scripts or something er other.
>
> Your case may or may not have these properties, it's impossible to tell.
Well yes, it probably is. Sysv-rc and file-rc *are not* essential.
Sysvinit is, and it depends on sysv-rc | file-rc, and that's why
apt 'upgrades' the status of those packages to Essential. Even if
I put Essential: no in the control file, apt still ignores that.
I'd say in this case apt is going slightly overboard. It's against
current policy, and dpkg itself does get it right.
Unix is all about having enough rope to hang yourself and being
able to shoot yourself in the foot etc, right, so why is apt
preventing me from doing something that actually makes a lot
of sense.
When replacing a (virtually) essential package, apt should simply
not remove the old package first and install the replacing
package after that. It should let dpkg take care of that. Apt
is able to order things the right way, so it should be able to
configure the replacing package as soon as it is unpacked.
Now I have to find a sane way to describe that, and file a
bug report against apt, I guess. Apt being written in C++ I'm
not going to try to fix it myself.
Mike.
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