Bug#175691: dpkg: --force-depends-version does not work

[Francesco Potorti` <pot@gnu.org>]

Package: dpkg
Version: 1.10.9
Severity: normal

Using --force-depends-version has no effect:

# dpkg --force-depends-version -i /var/tmp/libpng12-0_1.2.5-8_i386.deb
(Reading database ... 113786 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace libpng12-0 1.2.5-8 (using .../libpng12-0_1.2.5-8_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libpng12-0 ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libpng12-0:
 libpng12-0 depends on libc6 (>= 2.3.1-1); however:
  Version of libc6 on system is 2.2.5-14.3.
dpkg: error processing libpng12-0 (--install):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 libpng12-0

So I am forced to use --force-depends instead:

# dpkg --force-depends -i /var/tmp/libpng12-0_1.2.5-8_i386.deb
(Reading database ... 113786 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace libpng12-0 1.2.5-8 (using .../libpng12-0_1.2.5-8_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libpng12-0 ...
dpkg: libpng12-0: dependency problems, but configuring anyway as you request:
 libpng12-0 depends on libc6 (>= 2.3.1-1); however:
  Version of libc6 on system is 2.2.5-14.3.
Setting up libpng12-0 (1.2.5-8) ...

(no errors nor warnings)

-- System Information
Debian Release: testing/unstable
Kernel Version: Linux pot.cnuce.cnr.it 2.4.18 #2 Mon Jul 29 12:21:48 CEST 2002 i686 Pentium II (Deschutes) GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

Versions of the packages dpkg depends on:
ii  dselect        1.10.9         a user tool to manage Debian packages
ii  libc6          2.2.5-14.3     GNU C Library: Shared libraries and Timezone