Re: is it possible to install a desktop-manager without python and perl?

[Tzafrir Cohen <tzafrir@cohens.org.il>]

On Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 09:17:18AM +0800, 明覺 wrote:
> I want to keep the programs in my system all written in c/c++, no
> python or perl or any other programming languages, is it possible to
> reach it? I removed the 2 packages, python and perl, from my system,
> and of cause, I losed my desktop, is it possible to install a desktop
> manager without perl and python? which is the proper desktop manager?
> thanks

Let's throw some data into this discussion:

LXDE is a rather minimalistic desktop. IceWM is an example of a
resonable (not-so-bloated) window manager.

$ aptitude why lxde perl
i   lxde               Depends xarchiver
i A xarchiver          Depends libpango1.0-0 (>= 1.20.3)
i A libpango1.0-0      Depends libpango1.0-common (>= 1.20.5-3+lenny1)
i A libpango1.0-common Depends defoma (>= 0.11.1)
i A defoma             Depends perl (>= 5.6.0-16)

$ aptitude why icewm perl
i   icewm           Depends libfontconfig1 (>= 2.4.0)
i A libfontconfig1  Depends fontconfig-config (= 2.6.0-3)
i A fontconfig-conf Depends ttf-dejavu | ttf-bitstream-vera |
ttf-freefont | gsf
ig                          onts-x11
i A ttf-freefont    Depends defoma
i A defoma          Depends perl (>= 5.6.0-16)

So on the client side the dependency is basically due to defoma (DEbian
FOnts MAnager).


On the server side:

$ aptitude why xserver-xorg perl
i A xserver-xorg      Depends    xserver-xorg-core (>= 2:1.4-3)
i A xserver-xorg-core Depends    libdbus-1-3 (>= 1.0.2)
i A libdbus-1-3       Recommends dbus
i A dbus              Depends    adduser
i   adduser           Suggests   perl-modules
i   perl-modules      Depends    perl (>= 5.10.0-1)

In this case we don't have a strict dependency. Not even a
recommendation. 'adduser' preffers to have a more complete perl
installation around.


But, well, this is slightly the wrong question (or the right. Depending
on how you think about it). 'perl' and 'perl-modules' include most of
the bloat of the perl package that should not get into the base system.
If we slightly rephrase the question, to satisfy the purists:

$ aptitude why lxde perl-base
i   lxde      Depends lxde-core (>= 0.3.2.1+svn20080509-5)
i A lxde-core Depends pcmanfm (>= 0.3.9.5)
i A pcmanfm   Depends hal
i A hal       Depends adduser
i   adduser   Depends perl-base (>= 5.6.0)

$ aptitude why icewm perl-base
i   icewm             Depends    libfontconfig1 (>= 2.4.0)
i A libfontconfig1    Depends    fontconfig-config (= 2.6.0-3)
i A fontconfig-config Depends    ucf (>= 0.29)
i A ucf               Depends    debconf (>= 1.5.19)
i   debconf           PreDepends perl-base (>= 5.6.1-4)

Or to make things clear:

$ aptitude why xserver-xorg perl-base
i A xserver-xorg Depends    debconf (>= 0.5) | debconf-2.0
i   debconf      PreDepends perl-base (>= 5.6.1-4)

Debconf needs perl. And you won't have much of a Debian system without
debconf. I wouldn't try removing that one.

-- 
Tzafrir Cohen         | tzafrir@jabber.org | VIM is
http://tzafrir.org.il |                    | a Mutt's
tzafrir@cohens.org.il |                    |  best
ICQ# 16849754         |                    | friend