Bug#1074443: Unable to boot due to missing package from the split

[hammered hammered]

Package: systemd-cryptsetup
Version: 256.1-2


I had setup dm-crypt/luks on my debian sid installation and it worked
perfectly for more than 5 years now.
I had configured two encrypted items. One for the swap and one for the home
dir of my user. The last one is dependent on an encrypted file container
which is decrypted during boot and then mounted as my home dir.

I realize that you did some package splitting lately. However, you have
borked the update process and I ended up without having systemd-cryptsetup
installed. After a reboot the system was unable to decrypt/mount the
configured partitions. I was unable to boot and have a working GUI
environment. The reason was unclear to me. Luckily, with the helpful
comments from others I realized about the package split and missing
package. I fumbled my way through the commandline (the boot process dropped
me into an admin login prompt), raising the network and installing the
missing package.

It is totally unacceptable to break a working systems like that.

One suggested approach would be: Make the split packages as a direct
dependency of the main package for a transitional period of eg 2 months.
This way a package update would install all previously installed
binaries/scripts/files via pulling in the split packages. After the
transitional period has passed, release a new version of the main package
without the dependencies of the split packages. Now a `apt-get autoremove`
would list the split packages in the remove list. Users would be alerted on
that fact and investigate. They would mark the packages they needed as
necessary and remove the rest.

This report may a bit late though. I that case, I would like any party with
sufficient rights to raise the matter to the proper channels(eg mailing
list) so this can be avoided in the future.
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