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feature: to add explanations of recommendations and suggestions dependencies



Hi.

I'd like to propose a feature for the package management system;

What I am offering is the idea that package dependencies that are 
reccomendations or suggestions must be explained.

Many times I can't guess the reason a package is being recommended/suggested 
and in times that I can guess I mostly can't be sure until I do some digging.

Optimally, when a user comes about to install a package he should know what 
the functionality that he's looking for in that package is and generally how 
it works. Sometimes, this is not the case.

Sometimes, when the reason for a recommendation/suggestion is not apparent 
from the descriptions of the packages, a user might be missing out on 
interesting functionality or on the other hand, install a package that won't 
be of service.

This will also make it easier to decide to not treat recommendations as 
dependencies, because the user will know exactly what purpose each 
recommendation has.

I am not suggesting this data will be put in with the package's description, 
but that it will have it's own dignified place in the package's metadata (if 
that's the term); an explanation for each recommendation/suggestion.

Dependencies that are actual dependencies and not recommendations or 
suggestions, should not require this information for this same purpose but it 
may be a good idea for different purposes that I'm not thinking about right 
now.

Excellent week and fun at debconf!
-- 
Shachar Or | שחר אור
http://ox.freeallweb.org/


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