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Re: apt questions




On Sat, 16 Sep 2000, Jason Gunthorpe wrote:

> 
> On Sat, 16 Sep 2000, Alfredo Kengi Kojima wrote:
> 
> > > What defines an obsolete package? All packages from package files not
> > > tagged NotSource are assumed to be installable - though the acquire bit
> > > should freak out when it realizes it cannot find a file name.
> 
> > An obsolete package is one that is mentioned in the 
> > Replaces field (or Obsoletes in rpm) of another package.
> > I think in such case the correct behaviour would be
> 
> Oh I see. For us the Replaces field does not indicate Obsolete packages,
> just packages that can overwrite files.
> 
> Why does RPM fail when you try to install an obsolete package? What is the
> logic going on inside?
>

A real example is XFree86 and libxpm. In versions prior to
XFree 4.0, libxpm was included in a separate package. Now, 
it is part of the package, which means if you try to install
libxpm in a system with XFree 4.0, rpm will fail with
conflicting files. Additionally, when you try to install
the XFree 4.0 package in a system with XFree 3.3.x and xpm
installed, it will erase both the old XFree and the obsoleted
xpm file.

What is the Replaces flag used for in Debian?

--
Alfredo
 
> Jason
> 
> 



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