[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: ncurses-base obsolete, but essential



On Fri, Jan 14, 2000 at 04:59:46PM -0800, Joey Hess wrote:
> Package: apt
> Version: 0.3.16
> 
> Konrad Mierendorff wrote:
> > > You are about to do something potentially harmful
> > > To continue type in the phrase 'Yes, I understand this may be bad'
> > >  ?]
> > 
> > I can't believe this one! Programm behavior like this really sucks!
> > 
> > One of the many small details that make Linux more usable is the absence
> > of such queries. Seems as if this is changing now.
> 
> You're missing a lot of history. Historically, the only way to remove an
> essential package has been "dpkg --force-essential --remove foo". You could
> not do it from inside dselect. Dselect remove methods probably just gave up
> with something like:
> 
> dpkg: error processing bash (--remove):
>  This is an essential package - it should not be removed.
> 
> Apt allows you to remove essential packages from inside dselect for the
> first time. The prompt really isn't any different than dpkg's insistance on
> --force options in some situations.
> 
> I do think that apt should be modified to omit the prompt if some other
> essential package declares a conflicts (and perhaps a replaces too?) on the
> obsolete essential package. Jason, the idea there is that we need *some* way
> to allow obsolete essential packages (like ncurses-base) to be removed
> without forcing everyone who upgrades to type in that sentance, and if the
> maintainer of an essential package declares a conflicts, I think that is a
> good indication that removing the obsolete essential package is safe.

There is a way to obsolete essential packages. Dpkg itself already handles
this. If you install an essential package that conflicts with an already
installed essential package, that package will be removed without any sort
of --force options. This is on purpose, and was designed for just this
purpose.

However, apt does need to realize this, so this bug is valid. Apt will not
have to add any --force options to dpkg to get this to work, just
recognize the conflict.

The ncurses-base problem will be a moot point anyway, considering that
according to Joel, it will be revived since ncurses fallback support is
not working.

-- 
 -----------=======-=-======-=========-----------=====------------=-=------
/  Ben Collins  --  ...on that fantastic voyage...  --  Debian GNU/Linux   \
`     bcollins@debian.org  --  bcollins@openldap.org  --  bmc@visi.net     '
 `---=========------=======-------------=-=-----=-===-======-------=--=---'


Reply to: