Bug#402721: debian-policy: WISHLIST Please make clear, that "conflicts" should only be used when really necessary

[Tobias Frost <tobi@frost.de>]

Package: debian-policy
Version: 3.7.2.2
Severity: wishlist

Looking at #262257, as an exampple, there are packages which declares
conflicts for whatever reason. However, the reason is NOT, that thec
packages could not co-existent on the same system (For the example,
retchmail could be also installed with fetchmail -- they do not
interfere)

My wishlist-entry would be to clarify, tha conflicts should only be
used, if the packages "won't do" if both installed... (as the word
"conflict" implies. The reason "the other package is doing the same, so
conflict on it to prevent both installed" is -- IMHO -- not the
intention of conflicts

Thanks (especially for the very good work you're doing here)
Tobi


	



-- System Information:
Debian Release: 4.0
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (500, 'testing'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Shell:  /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash
Kernel: Linux 2.6.18
Locale: LANG=de_DE@euro, LC_CTYPE=de_DE@euro (charmap=ISO-8859-15)

-- no debconf information