Bug#614708: libc6 could just Recommends libc-bin
tag 614708 + wontfix
thanks
On Tue, Feb 22, 2011 at 04:03:18PM -0800, Josh Triplett wrote:
> Package: libc6
> Version: 2.11.2-11
> Severity: wishlist
>
> Looking carefully at the contents of libc-bin, it appears that libc6
> could just Recommends libc-bin, rather than having a Depends on it.
> Specifically, taking the contents of libc-bin piece by piece:
>
> /etc/bindresvport.blacklist
>
> Not required to run programs, just a workaround for a conflict between
> RPC and a handful of services.
>
> /etc/ld.so.conf.d/libc.conf
>
> Just adds /usr/local/lib; not a required component of a system.
>
> /etc/gai.conf
While it is true, not having a dependency between the two makes very
difficult to handle the
> Consists entirely of commented-out defaults.
>
> /sbin/ldconfig
>
> Maintaining ld.so.cache makes the system run faster, but the system will
> run without it. The only caveat: any library packages would need to
> only run it if it exists.
Given that half of the packages does that in the postinst, that's a lot
to change. Until they are all changed, that just makes this change
totally impossible.
> /usr/bin/catchsegv
Ok
> /usr/bin/getconf
Required by POSIX
> /usr/bin/getent
> /usr/bin/iconv
Required by POSIX
> /usr/bin/ldd
Ok
> /usr/bin/localedef
> /usr/bin/locale
Required by POSIX
> /usr/bin/tzselect
> /usr/bin/rpcinfo
> /usr/bin/zdump
Ok
> None required for a running system, just generally useful.
As said above, most of them are need for POSIX compliance, they have to
stay on the system.
>
> /usr/lib
> /usr/lib/pt_chown
>
> Not required for a running system, just useful.
Ok
> /usr/sbin/iconvconfig
> /usr/sbin/zic
Ok
> Not required for a running system, just useful.
>
> /usr/share/man/*
>
> Helpful documentation but not required to run.
Ok
> /usr/share/doc/libc-bin/*
>
> Helpful documentation but not required to run.
Ok
> /usr/share/lintian/overrides/libc-bin
>
> Obviously not required.
>
Ok
> So, in general, nothing in libc-bin has to exist for the system to work,
> and only one thing (ldconfig) needs some extra care to make sure the
> system can cope without its presence.
Half of the tool are necessary for POSIX compliance. Also libc-bin 2.13
now provides a C.UTF-8 locale for Debian Policy compliance.
While I agree it's possible to run a half-broken system without libc-bin,
that doesn't mean you just want it to be recommended. libc-bin is less
than 750kB when installed, if you really want to gain space, I would
suggest you to start by looking at essential packages (or their
dependencies) taking a few MB.
That's simply a wontfix for now, just to leave you the right to answer.
Otherwise I would just close this bug. Seriously if you want to make so
small system that you don't want to install libc-bin, just have a look
at emdebian or other solutions.
> On the flipside, though, libc-bin probably needs "Depends: libc6", since
> it includes various programs that need libc6.
>
> (Related to this: neither libc6 nor libc-bin has "Essential: yes", so
> programs already can't count on them without a dependency.)
All that said, I agree that we should drop the dependency from libc6 to
libc-bin (and add the dependency in the other direction), and just make
libc-bin essential.
--
Aurelien Jarno GPG: 1024D/F1BCDB73
aurelien@aurel32.net http://www.aurel32.net
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