Bug#1041708: Bug#1051979: Do not suggest APT::Default-Release setting
Hi,
As far as I understand, my text comes from:
$ man apt_preferences
Since Bug#1041708 was mentioned, I CC it.
I concur more-or-less with what Julian Andres Klode said for the solution.
I think what is needed is:
by way of being not set up anymore,
nor presenting impression of recommendation in release notes.
## Debian Reference
As for the entry document such as Debian Reference,
I should skip mentioning setting "APT::Default-Release" to whatever since
setting it in /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/* tends to cause persistent confusing setting.
If someone dare to set such thing, use /etc/apt/preferences with PIN priority.
I have such example already with ample warnings.
## man apt_preferences
What is written there is 100% correct. But it does create impression of using
APT::Default-Release "stable";
as a part of normal system configuration to some readers.
I think this document needs to explain apt system functionality thoroughly,
dropping use of `APT::Default-Release` reference may not be a option.
I propose to replace this line with
APT::Default-Release "testing";
I think this don't drive people to set this to "stable" as much.
If I go farther, to make deprecated usage of APT::Default-Release in
/etc/apt/apt.conf more explicit, I suggest that the following part:
Note that this has precedence over any general priority you set in the
/etc/apt/preferences file described later, but not over specifically pinned
packages. For example,
should be changed to something along:
Note that this has precedence over any general priority you set in the
/etc/apt/preferences file described later, but not over specifically pinned
packages. (In order to avoid confusion with /etc/apt/preferences settings,
use of APT::Default-Release in /etc/apt/apt.conf is deprecated.) For
example,
That's my thought on this topic.
Osamu
On Mon, 2023-09-18 at 10:24 +0700, Max Nikulin wrote:
> On 16/09/2023 15:37, Osamu Aoki wrote:
> > So my first thought was replace it with:
> >
> > - Release definition in "/etc/apt/apt.conf" configuration file started with
> > "APT::Default-Release"
> >
> > But As I read complicationa it causes from your messages, let's drop it. I
> > don't use it anyway.
>
> Since the "APT::Default-Release" option is present in the document for
> years, I would prefer to see a warning close to the current place where
> it is mentioned. Consider somebody is asked about this setting and their
> opens the reference to provide a link. Completely disappeared mention
> may make them thinking that it was seen in another document.
>
> I do not insist however. I admit that removing obsolete material
> completely is widely used practice, so I am OK with your plan to just
> drop it.
>
> From my point of view, it is worst variant when "APT::Default-Release"
> is described without the not so trivial regexp or without a warning
> concerning complications. This feature evolved into a kind of pitfall.
>
> Thank you for your work on debian-reference.
>
>
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