Thanks. Let me try to clarify my position. On Sat, Feb 21, 2026 at 07:23:28PM -0000, qubist wrote: <snip>> > which I am reading as "I am OK with additional mini template, just > don't replace the current one". Now I understand you are against both > but it is still not immediately clear why.
I am against providing TWO official minimal templates, and I am against minimising the current minimal template. I think it will lead to confusion and an increased number of support calls. You know that users adopt the minimal templates, when they are frankly unfit, despite best warnings: with stripped down templates, the situation would be worse. To repeat myself, I see no problem in your guide in the Forum. The issue here is whether we should provide such templates as part of official release. I do not think so, and I think it would be a mistake for the project to do this. > > > You should read "most vital" within the context of what Debian > > considers core. > > I can't find any definition of Debian "core" package although I > searched a lot. What I find is: Using a stock netinst iso, at the end of the install but BEFORE tasksel, users are told "Only the Core of the system is installed". This comprises some 190 Packages. Base includes 67 Packages. <snip> > I don't know what expected programs means (by whom?). How does it align > with: > > https://doc.qubes-os.org/en/latest/introduction/faq.html#could-you-please-make-my-preference-the-default Expected by any user who is familiar with a Debian system. There is no way for ordinary users in official Debian releases to install only Base. The smallest they achieve is "Core", and that sets minimal expectations. This is not a user choice - this is the choice of the Debian project. It's a principle that we follow them. You may not like this, but it has been longstanding practice. <snip> > that procedure explicitly avoids "required" and "essential" packages. Understood but I see on GitHub proposals to remove editors and so on. That is what I object to. <snip> > What do you mean? I have provided a list of packages, the procedure for > finding them and the reasons why they can be removed. With the greatest respect you have not done this. You have identified packages that *can* be removed, but you have not given reasons for their removal. Some years ago, I said : "there should be a careful assessment of the benefits and costs before going down this path. If we do, then it should apply to all official templates." I do not see that this has happened, and I do not see a reasoned proposal for removing individual packages. I think that this issue has run its course and should be closed. Keep the guide in the Forum, which will have the same status as the Debian guide - unofficial, but in official Forum. If there are individual packages, or groups of packages that can be removed, then a separate issue should be opened in that case. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "qubes-devel" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/qubes-devel/aZssemleU60EybOu%40thirdeyesecurity.org.
