disappearing packages, seamless renames

[Jonathan Nieder <jrnieder@gmail.com>]

David Kalnischkies wrote:

> The following packages disappeared from your system as
> all files have been overwritten by other packages:
>   apt dpkg
> Note: This is done automatic and on purpose by dpkg.

Nice. :)

Nitpicks:

 The following packages have disappeared from your system
 because no other package depends on them and all files
 were overwritten by other packages:
   apt dpkg

That dpkg is the program that does this should probably be mentioned
in the manual.

2010/4/10 David Kalnischkies <kalnischkies+debian@gmail.com>:

> b) a) + overload Provides+Conflict+Replace
> + package managers can display it in advanced (renames)
> + package managers can prevent installation of oldPkg
>   if newPkg is already installed.
> - doesn't handle more complex disappears in advanced

Unfortunately, Provides/Conflicts/Replaces is widely used as a synonym
for Provides/Conflicts at the moment.  But maybe in a couple of years
this usage will be forgotten and we can revisit this.

I have to admit I don’t like it at all.  It is too easy to stumble
on when you mean something else.

I still prefer the idea of transitional packages having the "auto"
bit passed on to dependencies[1].  When a package moves to the
"transitional" section, package managers would know something
interesting is happening, though it is true they cannot tell whether
the package has been renamed, split up, or something else.

Jonathan

[1] http://bugs.debian.org/574851