Re: Debian, Iceweasle, Firefox!

[MJ Ray <mjr@phonecoop.coop>]

"Piotr Dziubinski" <idziubo@gmail.com> wrote:
> There is no longer firefox in debian etch, so after typing:
> apt-get install firefox
> I would like to see announcement: Firefox packages are no longer present in
> debian distribution, please try iceweasel.
>
> Do you see a difference?

Yes.  Just printing an announcement like that would be a bug in two
ways: scripts couldn't parse it and it doesn't explain why Firefox
isn't there (MozCorp's copyright+trademark pincer tactic).

At present, it says:

  The following extra packages will be installed:
    iceweasel

I've suggested that iceweasel provides+conflicts+replaces firefox,
which AFAICT would instead produce the output:

  Note, selecting iceweasel instead of firefox
[...other stuff about packages...]
  Do you want to continue? [Y/n]

Would that be better, in your opinion?

I don't know if it's possible.  I think that would require ftpmaster
assistance (because it makes firefox a virtual package as I understand
it and the previous firefox*deb files may need to be deleted), it may
make other tools say even more inaccurate things about the
firefox-iceweasel relationship and I don't know whether it would give
a smooth upgrade like the near-empty transition package. (From
http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2006/12/msg00111.html )

Regards,
-- 
MJR/slef
My Opinion Only: see http://people.debian.org/~mjr/
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