Re: On replacing orphaned packages
On Fri, 31 Jan 2003, Gunnar Wolf wrote:
> As far as I can tell, no modules depend on it - Maybe I am searching for
> this the wrong way, but...
There's an apt-cache command which shows reverse depends... Aah, there it
is, showpkg. Run that over any package, and it'll show you Reverse Depends
(amongst many other useful tidbits).
> Now, as the packages are currently orphaned - Would the previous
> maintainer be the right person to address so they will ask ftpmaster to
> drop it?
Well, since they've orphaned it, they've pretty much said "I want to know no
more about it". If you bring it to ftpmaster's attention, you might get
something out of them.
I'd give them a go first, anyway. If they're non-responsive, or aren't keen
on it, post on -mentors or -devel, asking for more opinions. Someone may
agree to take them on to eradicate them. But I think bugging ftpmaster (by
submitting a bug against the ftp.debian.org pseudo-package) should do it, if
you outline all of your reasons (like they're unmaintained, both in Debian
and upstream - have a reference for that - show that there's a replacement,
and that nothing in the archive depends on it).
> Yup... They will only break on new installs... And I think this would make
> Debian better, not having unmaintained packages lying around and being
> distributed everywhere.
There are many differing opinions on that topic... <g> Search the archives
for all of the arguments.
- Matt
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