On Thu, Apr 11, 2024 at 10:43:38PM +0000, mYnDstrEAm wrote: > > You found with #956330 already a feature request that asks for that > > No, that other issue is not about kept-back packages in specific. I don't see > how the functionality of that issue would be very useful but for kept-back > packages asking the user or by default not marking them as manually installed > could be very useful and seems more like what one would expect it to do.
So, which is it: You install random things you don't care about because their name appeared in the kept-back list or you explicitly install that package from the kept-back list because you care very deeply about it? APT isn't keeping back a package because its bored. It has reasons, different ones even, and the general reply from a user to it should be: "Okay" and not "Lets try to force it". In some cases that force will not work and end in failure (unsatisfied dependencies), in some cases it will lead to non-optional solution which might lead to problems later on (unsatisfied recommends), sometimes its an ongoing transition that apt decides to wait on instead of applying (which usually means a bunch of stuff has to be removed), sometimes the distro itself decides that newer versions are shipped piece meal to different users to avoid potential issues hitting them all at once (phasing) and sometimes a user has explicitly put that package on hold. I probably forgot a few more possibilities. > This is about kept-back packages where install is used to make them install. No it isn't because that isn't how apt sees it. You might remember that in a previous request you made apt might have said that about a package, but apt has no such memory. What would that memory even be given that your last request could have been something between complete bogus you would prefer to pretend to have never entertained and a heartfelt "I can't do without you" plea. Would that memory be time bound: If its two seconds later, its related, but if it was last week, it is not? That would turn quickly into a complete mess of unpredictable behaviour. So, even if you think you are forcing apt with an install request to install a package version it decided to keep back in a previous request, for apt you are "just" asking it to install the given package, period. apt could ask about if it should modify the auto/manual installed state based on your explicit manual install request (<- note the wording choice) for a package you attempt to upgrade (compared to new install), but it currently doesn't and that is what the request I merged it with is talking about. Best regards David Kalnischkies
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