Bug#375667: x11-common and xserver-xorg unupgradeable due to mutual deathgrip

[Ian Jackson <ian@davenant.greenend.org.uk>]

Julien Cristau writes ("Re: Bug#375667: x11-common and xserver-xorg unupgradeable due to mutual deathgrip"):
> Before X11R7, lots of things were installed in
> /usr/X11R6/{bin,lib,include}. There were symlinks
> /usr/bin/X11 -> ../X11R6/bin, /usr/include/X11 -> ../X11R6/include/X11
> and /usr/lib/X11 -> ../X11R6/lib/X11.

Right.

> Now, in this transition, /usr/include/X11 and /usr/lib/X11 become real
> directories, and packages install stuff in there.
...
> Additionally, the /usr/X11R6/bin directory becomes a symlink to ../bin,
> because some programs/scripts use that path to find executables they
> need

So
 before  /usr/{lib,include}/X11 -> /usr/X11R6/{lib,include}
 after   /usr/{lib,include}/X11 <- /usr/X11R6/{lib,include}
and
 before  /usr/bin/X11 -> /usr/X11R6/bin (real dir)
 after   /usr/bin/X11 -> ..    /usr/X11R6/bin -> /usr/bin (by some name)

That's fine and there are ways of doing these things.
Are there any other difficulties etc. ?

I'm not sure I understand why it is necessary to adjust old systems to
conform to the new standard wrt {lib,include}.  Why can't they just be
left with the symlinks pointing to where new systems have directories
and vice versa ?

/usr/bin/X11 is a bit tricky.  I think the right answer is to have
some preinst move all of the binaries from /usr/bin/X11 to /usr/bin
and then sort out the links but this should be done with care.  There
should be no need for any Conflicts.

Ian.