Bug#479080: debian-policy: Policy '3.8 Essential packages' does not explain when/why essential is neccessary
On Thu, Jun 05, 2008 at 06:25:14PM +0200, Giacomo A. Catenazzi wrote:
> Manoj Srivastava wrote:
>> Hi,
>> On Fri, 02 May 2008 17:45:30 +0200, Carl Fürstenberg <azatoth@gmail.com>
>> said:
>>> Policy section 3.8, about essential packages, doesn't explain when/why
>>> essential is neccessary, only that it should not be essential if it's
>>> not necessary.
>> My understanding is that a package is Essential if without it is
>> impossible to install any more packages to the system -- that is, the
>> package is required for proper functioning of dpkg. If my understanding
>> is correct, it should be easy to add in a line about when packages can
>> be made Essential.
> In addition "Essential" is also used not full dependencies with
> "obvious" packages. (Policy 3.5)
This is not part of the rationale for a package's inclusion in Essential,
it's an effect of a package's inclusion in Essential.
Packages should only be in the Essential set if they have to be there to
guarantee the operation of dpkg.
--
Steve Langasek Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer http://www.debian.org/
slangasek@ubuntu.com vorlon@debian.org
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