Bug#40006: apt needs to be more configurable

["Paul D. Smith" <pausmith@nortelnetworks.com>]

Package: apt
Version: 0.3.7
Severity: wishlist

I moved to Debian from RedHat in January and I love the system: it's so
well-organized and easy to use compared to RedHat's impenetrable jumble
of an FTP site.

Apt-get is very simple and straightforward.

However, after a few months of use I've grown frustrated by the lack of
configurability in apt-get.  It's _too_ simple.

I'm dialing from a 56k modem that rarely (due to phone line problems)
gets above 26.4k.  Bandwidth is important to me.  On the other hand, I
like to be "close to the edge" on various packages, both from necessity
(I need XFree 3.3.3.1 for my Viper 550 AGP card) and interest.

On the other hand, I _don't_ care to be on the cutting edge for other
packages.  For example, I don't need the latest unstable version of
anything in the "games" category: I rarely use them except to show off
to others.  I don't want the latest TeX or Emacs minor update, because
it's too big and the updates are generally not worth it for me.

So, I wish I could specify some kind of customization file to apt-get
that would let me exert finer-grain control over how things are
updated.  I'd like to say things like:

  * Regardless of the subsequent rules, pull in any package updates
    labeled as security fixes.
  * Leave everything in the games category as the latest stable version.
  * Leave everything in the tex category as the latest stable or frozen
    versions.
  * Leave any package matching "emacs*" as the latest stable version
    unless the update has an "urgency" of >low

Etc. etc.  You get the idea.

Obviously such a file is optional and without it, apt-get would behave
as it does now...

-- 
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 Paul D. Smith <psmith@baynetworks.com>         Network Management Development
 "Please remain calm...I may be mad, but I am a professional." --Mad Scientist
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   These are my opinions---Nortel Networks takes no responsibility for them.