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Bug#216682: apt/preferences: need for pinning a given (set of) package per release



On Mon, Oct 20, 2003 at 03:24:29PM -0400, Matt Zimmerman wrote:
> severity 216682 wishlist
> retitle 216682 People still don't understand the preferences file
> thanks

Sorry for further retitling, I did not see your answer at first :)

> On Sun, Oct 19, 2003 at 09:53:41PM +0200, Yann Dirson wrote:
> If you think it is unclear, please submit a patch improving it.

Hm, is it unfair to wait before fully understanding it first ? :)

> The text under VERSIONING explains this to my satisfaction.  This
> man page has already been practically rewritten, and still people
> have difficulty with it.

Yes, there has been considerable improvements since the woody version,
and I don't intend to criticize you and others about that.  However,
after practicing the use of the feature, I still do not fully
understand all details, and I'd like, firstly, to disambiguate things
in my mind, and, secondly, to find a way to make that more clear in
the manpage.

> I personally think that the old VERSIONING text was clearer:
> 
> >       One  purpose  of  the  preferences file is to let the user select which
> >       version of a package will be installed. This selection can be made in a
> >       number  of  ways  that fall into three categories, version, release and
> >       origin.
> >
> >       Selection by version [...]
> >
> >       Selection by release [...]
> >
> >       The final selection method is by origin [...]

I'll re-read the old manpage as well, and will see if I can improve
the new one.


> But I think that in the end, this just isn't a simple concept, and people will
> always have trouble with it.

That's possible.  But nonetheles, I think it is a great feature, and
we should make it as accessible as possible.


> When in doubt, try something and see if it works.  If you had done that
> rather than filing this bug report, it would have answered your question
> more efficiently, and we would not be having this discussion.

I _have_ done that, but, unfortunately, with essential packages...

Regards,
-- 
Yann Dirson    <ydirson@altern.org> |    Why make M$-Bill richer & richer ?
Debian-related: <dirson@debian.org> |   Support Debian GNU/Linux:
Pro:    <yann.dirson@fr.alcove.com> |  Freedom, Power, Stability, Gratuity
     http://ydirson.free.fr/        | Check <http://www.debian.org/>



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