On Sun 17 Aug 2025 at 23:05:19 (-0700), David Christensen wrote: > On 8/17/25 20:18, David Wright wrote: > > On Sun 17 Aug 2025 at 14:05:03 (-0700), David Christensen wrote: > > > On 8/17/25 06:28, Greg Wooledge wrote: > > > > On Sat, Aug 16, 2025 at 23:00:29 -0700, David Christensen wrote: > > > > > # apt-get purge firefox-esr > > > > > > > > Since the goal is to reinstall firefox-esr shortly afterward, we don't > > > > really want to remove anything that depends on firefox-esr, such as > > > > a desktop environment metapackage. Even worse, a metapackage that > > > > has a line like "Depends: firefox-esr | other-browser" might bring in > > > > some other browser we don't want. So, this command might be better: > > > > > > > > dpkg --purge --force-depends firefox-esr > > > > > > If `apt-get purge firefox-esr` purges up the desktop or other packages > > > would should be precursors, that would be a serious bug. > > > > If I understand your terminology, > > Sorry for the scrambled thoughts. Please let me clarify. > > If `apt-get purge firefox-esr` purges the desktop or other packages > that casual observers would expect to be unrelated, then that would be > a serious bug.
No, it has nothing to do with the expectations of casual observers. It's quite simply to do with removing a package that another one depends on. You want a simple analogy? If you remove one wheel of a car, then it's going to fall onto the brake disc on that corner. Greg's trick is to support the car on a jack while you remove and replace the wheel. > > then I don't understand where the > > serious bug is. My firefox-esr is a dependency of firefox-esr-l10n-en-gb, > > and when setting up the system, installing firefox-esr-l10n-en-gb > > pulled in firefox-esr. > > > > But libreoffice-help-en-gb also depends on a browser, and I made sure > > to install it after firefox-esr-l10n-en-gb so that it didn't pull in > > some other browser.¹ > > > > So if I remove firefox-esr, APT will dutifully install > > epiphany-browser² and any of its dependencies that are lacking. > > Not what we want. > > Do you mean "So if I remove firefox-esr, APT will dutifully uninstall > epiphany-browser"? And, libreoffice is also uninstalled? If so, the > term "dependency hell" comes to mind. No, I wrote "APT will dutifully install epiphany-browser", which prevents there being no browser, and so libreoffice-help-en-gb remains satisfied. (I didn't mention libreoffice.) I suggest you read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dependency_hell to remind yourself what dependency hell means. > All the more justification for "backup, wipe, install, restore". Smacks of buying a new helmet instead of pulling a tear off from the visor. Cheers, David.
