Bug#906750: gnome-control-center: Does not start. Missing dependency avahi-daemon

[k0r155ov8nx at mailbox.org]

> We can fix this, but you would not have been affected by this bug if
> you installed recommended dependencies. gnome-control-center
> recommends gnome-user-share which depends on libapache2-mod-dnssd
> which depends on avahi-daemon.

> Please don't disable installing recommends and please take a look at
> the list of recommended packages below that you don't have installed.
> You are missing out on important gnome-control-center features.

Thank you for your reply.

I disabled recommended packages on purpose because it often pulls hundreds of megabytes of dependencies I don't need and never use.

In this case avahi-daemon or libapache2-mod-dnssd should be a dependency and not a recommendation through gnome-user-share or gnome-user-share itself should be a dependency.

According to the "Debian Policy Manual - 7.2. Binary Dependencies" 'depends' "declares an absolute dependency" and 'recommends' "declares a strong, but not absolute, dependency". I think working or not working is kinda the definition of "absolute dependency". A package should work with its dependencies installed and then may provide additional functionality through 'Recommends' and 'Suggests'. This understanding of the meaning of 'depends' and 'recommends' made me report this bug.

It is also very possible that I misunderstand the wording in the Policy Manual :)


Again, thank you very much for your work!