Re: Suggestion for change to debian package format
In foo.debian-user, you wrote:
> On Mon, 29 Mar 1999, Mitch Blevins wrote:
> > Apt will keep a boolean flag called 'Auto' for each package installed
> > on your system. 'Auto' is short for 'Automatically uninstall this
> > package when it is not required anymore because of a dependency'.
>
> What about a counter for the number of packages that depends on it. If the
> count is 0, the package can be safely removed. I think this work even for
> local packages, since you provide your local package increments the
> counter on packages it depends on.
A counter field is totally independant from the Auto flag. Just because
a package has no other packages depending on it does not mean that it
should be removed. For example, xpilot is an excellent game, and I
wouldn't want it removed... but nothing depends on it.
The Auto flag is just a boolean to determine if a package should be
removed IFF no other packages depend on it.
Having /usr/local packages be calculated into the dependency information
can be accomplished using the "equivs" package. An explicit counter
is not needed.
> > So, when you install package foo, and apt automatically installs
> > libfoo1 and libfoo2 because they are required by foo, then they will
> > be marked with the 'Auto' flag. Later, if you deinstall foo, then apt
> > will also deinstall libfoo1 and libfoo2, provided they are no longer
> > needed by any other packages.
>
> But, what if libfoo1 || libfoo2 is need by some other package?
Hmmm... an ambiguous situation if both libfoo1 and libfoo2 have the Auto
flag set. I assume that the implementers would either leave both on
the system, or deinstall one of them on a first-come first-serve basis.
-Mitch
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