Bug#759260: [summary] Bug#759260: removal of the Extra priority.

[Charles Plessy <plessy@debian.org>]

Le Mon, Nov 17, 2014 at 03:55:26PM +0100, Santiago Vila a écrit :
> 
> The purpose is to allow the user to install as many optional packages
> as he/she wants without having to bother with conflicts.

Hi Santiago,

practically speaking, how do you or others use the Optional priority to check
that a package is not directly or transitively conflicting with another package ?

First, according to debcheck (https://qa.debian.org/debcheck.php?dist=sid&list=main-only-priority&arch=ANY)
there are thousands of packages whose Priority setting violates the current policy.

Second, tools such as "apt-get --simulate" are very efficient at checking if the
installation of one package will need or trigger the removal of another
one.  In which case would it be more efficient to check the priority instead,
especially given the first point above ?

Can you give concrete examples where the Extra priority has been instrumental
for you as a user or a developer, in a way that has no practical alternative ?
Or said differently, what would break concretely for you if tomorrow the
Optional and Extra priorities were merged ? 

Have a nice day,

-- 
Charles Plessy
Tsurumi, Kanagawa, Japan