Bug#935304: libpam-systemd: Please relax Depends: systemd-sysv

[Mark Hindley]

Package: libpam-systemd
Version: 241-7
Severity: normal

Dear systemd maintainers,

Please would you reconsider libpam-systemd's dependency on systemd-sysv?
This dependency makes switching from libpam-systemd to libpam-elogind on desktop
systems difficult with out removing and the reinstalling many components one
libpam-elogind is installed.

systemd cannot be removed whilst it is PID 1 so sysvinit-core needs to be
installed first and the system rebooted. sysvinit-core conflicts with
systemd-sysv and libpam-systemd depends systemd-sysv. So installing
sysvinit-core forces the removal of anything depending on libpam-systemd
including the majority of many desktops.

I can imagine the original intention of the dependency was to ensure systemd was
the active init. However, even with systemd-sysv installed, it is still possible
to boot with init=/bin/sh on the kernel commandline or change the init in grub
menu. So the dependency fails to ensure systemd is PID 1.

I suggest that Recommends would be a more suitable relationship.

Thanks

Mark