Re: Anybody know why aptitude is not installed by default in Sid?

[Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com>]

On Monday 02 November 2015 11:16:11 Brian wrote:
> On Mon 02 Nov 2015 at 01:33:01 -0800, Rick Thomas wrote:
> > On Nov 2, 2015, at 12:45 AM, Joe <joe@jretrading.com> wrote:
> > >> To be honest, I see no reason at all why two package managers needed
> > >> to be included in standard install. If you aren't happy with apt-get,
> > >> just apt-get install aptitude. It seems beyond question to me that
> > >> having bare minimum to start with and adding things you need from
> > >> there is a much cleaner and better way of doing things than having
> > >> several tools with the same function and having to get rid of one. So
> > >> a very sensible change, I only wonder what was the thinking behind
> > >> the initial approach.
> > >
> > > Not in the base system, no, but I'd expect it to be included in any
> > > system which might be used by newcomers to Linux. A lot of Internet
> > > sites include installation instructions using aptitude, without
> > > mentioning any alternatives, or even that there are any. Similarly, a
> > > desktop system other than a minimalist one should include Synaptic.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Joe
> >
> > +1 for Joe.
> >
> > Requiring a newcomer to install aptitude before she can follow the
> > simple step-by-step instructions she downloaded from the web — or
> > alternatively requiring all the helpful folks who posted those
> > step-by-step instructions to go back and modify them…  That’s not what
> > I’d call “newbie friendly”.
>
> The helpful folks at Debian also produce copious documentation (a Guide,
> Release Notes etc). At release time these tend to be up to date and are
> much more useful to newcomers and experienced users than any random web
> page.

But people often use random web pages.  And not all of us are fully 
able-bodied.  You would appear to be able to read well and fast.  Not all of 
us are that fortunate.

Minimal should be minimal.  But fuller installations should definitely not be 
minimal.  Having more than one of each application there can be very useful, 
in giving the opportunity easily to try to see which one likes.

I deprecate the creeping Ubuntuisation of Debian.  Minimal should be minimal.  
Otherwise we should avoid dictating and give plenty of choice.  

Lisi

> Perhaps submitting a bug report (plus a patch) against the Release Notes
> would cover the changed priority situation (standard to optional) for
> affected packages.