Bug#651910: Rejected recommendations can result in insane suggestions for removal
Package: apt
Version: 0.8.15.9
Severity: important
If I attempt to install gpib-modules-source on an unstable system with
stable sources available, APT proposes the following:
Reading package lists...
Building dependency tree...
Reading state information...
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
libgnomekbd4 libts-0.0-0 libdirectfb-1.2-9 libmikmod2 tsconf libsysfs2
cpp-4.5 libcamel-1.2-23 libmad0 libjson-glib-1.0-0 libgmp3c2 libglapi-mesa
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
binutils cpp-4.5 cpp-4.6 gcc-4.5-base gcc-4.6 gcc-4.6-base
gnome-desktop3-data gnome-menus gnome-settings-daemon libacl1 libarchive1
libatk1.0-0 libatk1.0-data libattr1 libcamel-1.2-23 libedataserver1.2-14
libgcc1 libgfortran3 libglapi-mesa libgmp3c2 libgnome-desktop-3-2
libgnomekbd-common libgnomekbd7 libgomp1 libjson-glib-1.0-0 libjson0
liblzma5 libmad0 libmpfr4 libpackagekit-glib2-14 libpango1.0-0
libpulse-mainloop-glib0 libpulse0 libquadmath0 libstdc++6
linux-headers-3.1.0-1-amd64 linux-headers-amd64 nautilus-data
Suggested packages:
binutils-doc gcc-4.5-locales gcc-4.6-locales gcc-4.6-multilib
libmudflap0-4.6-dev gcc-4.6-doc libgcc1-dbg libgomp1-dbg libquadmath0-dbg
libmudflap0-dbg binutils-gold x11-xserver-utils gnome-screensaver
kernel-package ttf-baekmuk ttf-arphic-gbsn00lp ttf-arphic-bsmi00lp
ttf-arphic-gkai00mp ttf-arphic-bkai00mp
Recommended packages:
pulseaudio linux-headers-2.6 linux-source-2.6 hwdata
The following packages will be REMOVED:
apt apt-listchanges apt-utils aptitude aspell aspell-en gcc-4.5 gnome-about
gnome-panel gnome-session gnome-user-guide groff-base grub-common grub-pc
grub-pc-bin grub2-common gvfs libaspell15 libblas3gf libbonoboui2-0
libboost-iostreams1.42.0 libboost-iostreams1.46.1 libcaca0 libcloog-ppl0
libcwidget3 libdnet libenchant1c2a libept1 libexempi3 libfam0 libgc1c2
libgl1-mesa-glx libgmpxx4ldbl libgnome2-0 libgnomeui-0 libgnomevfs2-0
libhunspell-1.2-0 libicu44 liblapack3gf libpanel-applet2-0 libppl-c4 libppl9
libpwl5 librarian0 libsdl-image1.2 libsdl-mixer1.2 libsdl1.2debian
libsigc++-2.0-0c2a libsmpeg0 libwebkit-1.0-2 libxapian22
linux-headers-3.1.0-1-686-pae linux-headers-686-pae man-db nautilus
python-apt python-gmenu python-gnome2 python-gtk2 python-numpy
python-reportbug reportbug tasksel tasksel-data telnet w3m x11-utils yelp
The following NEW packages will be installed:
gnome-desktop3-data gpib-modules-source libarchive1 libcamel-1.2-23
libglapi-mesa libgmp3c2 libgnome-desktop-3-2 libgnomekbd7 libjson-glib-1.0-0
libjson0 liblzma5 libmad0 libpackagekit-glib2-14 libpulse-mainloop-glib0
linux-headers-3.1.0-1-amd64 linux-headers-amd64
The following packages will be upgraded:
binutils cpp-4.5 cpp-4.6 gcc-4.5-base gcc-4.6 gcc-4.6-base gnome-menus
gnome-settings-daemon libacl1 libatk1.0-0 libatk1.0-data libattr1
libedataserver1.2-14 libgcc1 libgfortran3 libgnomekbd-common libgomp1
libmpfr4 libpango1.0-0 libpulse0 libquadmath0 libstdc++6 nautilus-data
WARNING: The following essential packages will be removed.
This should NOT be done unless you know exactly what you are doing!
apt
23 upgraded, 16 newly installed, 68 to remove and 297 not upgraded.
Need to get 32.4 MB/32.9 MB of archives.
After this operation, 192 MB disk space will be freed.
You are about to do something potentially harmful.
To continue type in the phrase 'Yes, do as I say!'
?] Abort.
gpib-modules-source recommends linux-headers-2.6 | linux-source-2.6;
the former is a virtual package that is no longer provided in unstable
whereas the latter is a real package that still exists. So this is a
silly recommendation, but I don't think it excuses the bug.
It appears that APT tried to select the various possible real packages
that provide linux-headers-2.6, and it found:
linux-headers-2.6.32-5-<flavour> depends gcc-4.3
libgcc1/unstable breaks gcc-4.3 (< 4.3.6-1)
<many packages> depends libgcc1
The only version of gcc-4.3 still available is 4.3.5-4, so libgcc1
would have to be downgraded to satisfy this recommendation. It
appears that APT has examined the possibility of removing libgcc1 and
its dependencies, and rejected it because it doesn't actually help
(gcc-4.3 also depends on libgcc1). However, APT is still proposing to
carry out all those unnecessary removals!
Ben.
-- Package-specific info:
-- apt-config dump --
APT "";
APT::Architecture "i386";
APT::Build-Essential "";
APT::Build-Essential:: "build-essential";
APT::Install-Recommends "1";
APT::Install-Suggests "0";
APT::Authentication "";
APT::Authentication::TrustCDROM "true";
APT::NeverAutoRemove "";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^firmware-linux.*";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-firmware$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image.*";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^kfreebsd-image.*";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-restricted-modules.*";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-ubuntu-modules-.*";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^gnumach$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^gnumach-image.*";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections "";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "metapackages";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "restricted/metapackages";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "universe/metapackages";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "multiverse/metapackages";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "oldlibs";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "restricted/oldlibs";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "universe/oldlibs";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "multiverse/oldlibs";
APT::Architectures "";
APT::Architectures:: "i386";
Dir "/";
Dir::State "var/lib/apt/";
Dir::State::lists "lists/";
Dir::State::cdroms "cdroms.list";
Dir::State::mirrors "mirrors/";
Dir::State::extended_states "extended_states";
Dir::State::status "/var/lib/dpkg/status";
Dir::Cache "var/cache/apt/";
Dir::Cache::archives "archives/";
Dir::Cache::srcpkgcache "srcpkgcache.bin";
Dir::Cache::pkgcache "pkgcache.bin";
Dir::Etc "etc/apt/";
Dir::Etc::sourcelist "sources.list";
Dir::Etc::sourceparts "sources.list.d";
Dir::Etc::vendorlist "vendors.list";
Dir::Etc::vendorparts "vendors.list.d";
Dir::Etc::main "apt.conf";
Dir::Etc::netrc "auth.conf";
Dir::Etc::parts "apt.conf.d";
Dir::Etc::preferences "preferences";
Dir::Etc::preferencesparts "preferences.d";
Dir::Etc::trusted "trusted.gpg";
Dir::Etc::trustedparts "trusted.gpg.d";
Dir::Bin "";
Dir::Bin::methods "/usr/lib/apt/methods";
Dir::Bin::dpkg "/usr/bin/dpkg";
Dir::Media "";
Dir::Media::MountPath "/media/cdrom";
Dir::Log "var/log/apt";
Dir::Log::Terminal "term.log";
Dir::Log::History "history.log";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently "";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "~$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.disabled$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.bak$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.dpkg-[a-z]+$";
Acquire "";
Acquire::cdrom "";
Acquire::cdrom::mount "/media/cdrom";
Acquire::Languages "";
Acquire::Languages:: "en";
Acquire::Languages:: "none";
DPkg "";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs "";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/bin/apt-listchanges --apt || test $? -ne 10";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/sbin/dpkg-preconfigure --apt || true";
DPkg::Tools "";
DPkg::Tools::Options "";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listchanges "";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listchanges::Version "2";
CommandLine "";
CommandLine::AsString "apt-config dump";
-- (no /etc/apt/preferences present) --
-- /etc/apt/sources.list --
deb http://cdn.debian.net/debian/ sid main contrib non-free
deb http://cdn.debian.net/debian/ experimental main contrib non-free
deb http://cdn.debian.net/debian/ squeeze main
-- System Information:
Debian Release: wheezy/sid
APT prefers unstable
APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (500, 'stable'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: i386 (x86_64)
Kernel: Linux 3.1.0-1-amd64 (SMP w/1 CPU core)
Locale: LANG=en_GB.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_GB.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Versions of packages apt depends on:
ii debian-archive-keyring 2010.08.28 GnuPG archive keys of the Debian a
ii gnupg 1.4.11-3 GNU privacy guard - a free PGP rep
ii libc6 2.13-16 Embedded GNU C Library: Shared lib
ii libgcc1 1:4.6.1-7 GCC support library
ii libstdc++6 4.6.1-7 GNU Standard C++ Library v3
ii zlib1g 1:1.2.3.4.dfsg-3 compression library - runtime
apt recommends no packages.
Versions of packages apt suggests:
pn apt-doc <none> (no description available)
ii aptitude 0.6.4-1 terminal-based package manager (te
ii bzip2 1.0.5-7 high-quality block-sorting file co
pn dpkg-dev <none> (no description available)
pn lzma <none> (no description available)
ii python-apt 0.8.0 Python interface to libapt-pkg
-- no debconf information
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