Bug#681834: network-manager, gnome, Recommends vs Depends

[Julian Andres Klode]

On Tue, Jul 17, 2012 at 01:56:45PM +0100, Ian Jackson wrote:
> block 645656 by 681834
> thanks
> 
> The argument about the dependency from gnome-core to network-manager
> has now reached the TC.  This has been extensive discussed, most
> recently on debian-devel.  The most recent response from Josselin is
> here:
>   http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2012/07/msg00210.html
> 
> It seems to me that:
> 
>  * n-m breaks the networking of enough people that this is a
>    significant problem which should be fixed.
> 
>  * There is not currently another metapackage besides gnome-core that
>    would pull in enough of the gnome system.
> 
>  * There is no good reason not to use Recommends (or indeed Suggests)
>    in a metapackage.
> 
>  * In particular, tests have shown that the remainder of gnome
>    functions as expected when network-manager is not installed; the
>    situation appears to be the similar to that which occurs if n-m is
>    installed but the system's active network connection is not one
>    made by n-m.
> 
>  * Also, that there are people who choose not to install Recommends at
>    all is not a reason not to make this change.
> 
>  * The present situation in wheezy appears to be a regression from
>    squeeze.
> 
> So I would propose that we:
> 
>  * Clarify our view that the normal rules for deciding dependency
>    priorities apply to meta packages too;
> 
>  * Require no change to policy;
> 
>  * Overrule the maintainer of gnome-core, requiring that the
>    dependency on network-manager be changed to Recommends;
> 
>  * Advise the release managers that we would prefer this change to be
>    made in wheezy, provided it is uploaded promptly.
> 
> Ian.

I propose that you consider to have the gnome-core and gnome packages
moved to the "metapackages" section of the archive. This will cause
APT to mark the packages they depend on as manually installed, with the
result that they will not be removed automatically anymore.

A user can then just remove network-manager, which removes gnome-core
(and gnome) but does not remove any other package installed by
those packages.

This should solve the problem for everyone.

-- 
Julian Andres Klode  - Debian Developer, Ubuntu Member

See http://wiki.debian.org/JulianAndresKlode and http://jak-linux.org/.
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 198 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/pkg-gnome-maintainers/attachments/20120808/4f16a79c/attachment.pgp>