[Aptitude-devel] Bug#959869: Bug#959869: aptitude: "aptitude why" should take Provides into account

[Julian Andres Klode]

On Wed, May 06, 2020 at 12:43:54PM +0200, Vincent Lefevre wrote:
> Package: aptitude
> Version: 0.8.12-3
> Severity: wishlist
> 
> zira% aptitude why x11proto-core-dev
> i   tk8.5-dev Depends x11proto-core-dev
> 
> but I can remove the package without breaking the dependency:
> 
> zira% apt remove -s x11proto-core-dev
> NOTE: This is only a simulation!
>       apt needs root privileges for real execution.
>       Keep also in mind that locking is deactivated,
>       so don't depend on the relevance to the real current situation!
> Reading package lists... Done
> Building dependency tree       
> Reading state information... Done
> The following packages will be REMOVED:
>   x11proto-core-dev
> 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 10 not upgraded.
> Remv x11proto-core-dev [2020.1-1]
> 
> Here, x11proto-core-dev is a transitional dummy package to x11proto-dev,
> and x11proto-dev has:

IMO: why does not answer the question if there are any blockers to removal,
it tells you why something was installed, and gives you the shortest path,
and hence the answer is correct.

It also follows Recommends or Suggests, and you can still remove
those packages.
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