** Description changed: Binary package hint: apt Just tried to remove gnome-pilot. Apt-get, aptitude, dpkg and synaptic all tell me that I will also be removing gnome-pilot conduits _and_ ubuntu-desktop. This is but one of many examples where the apt tools threaten to remove packages that were not installed together with the package that is to be - removed (you wish the system would remember the _order_ in which - packages were installed--after all, even I, a gnubie, remember that). In - many cases these packages are essential. Ubuntu-desktop is often - included in the list. + removed. In many cases these packages are essential. Ubuntu-desktop is + often included in the list. In my way of thinking, these are _upline dependencies_. They are hierarchically superior in the scheme of things to the package to be removed. Their usefulness is system-wide. Many other packages depend on them. They may not be system-essential--rather something like Python or Fetchmail, but they _do not need to be removed_, and _their removal will break other packages_. If I may chafe you a bit with an unfavorable comparison, Windows has always resolved these kind of conflicts as a matter of routine. They may not always do it successfully, but the presence of a bug is superior to the absence of a solution. I think this is a high-priority problem. In my case, I can't fix my crashed version of gnome-pilot because a) I don't know enough code to manually fix what went wrong with it, and b) none of the apt tools will purge it for me. This is as simple as telling the apt tools to search the database to see if _any other packages depend_ on the dependencies that are proposed for removal, and giving the user a CHOICE whether to remove them. + Another factor is the _order_ in which packages were installed. + Theoretically, a package should not remove dependencies that were + _already there_ when it was selected for install. In a few cases, such + as where dependencies had to be installed manually, this would not + affect anything, but usually order of installation correlates highly + with each package's relative place in the dependency tree. I am a + gnubie, and I have a better memory for this than Synaptic. It galls me + to have the computer go against all common sense. + By the way, I'm using Dapper. Please don't tell me "this is fixed in Edgy." I'm _not upgrading_ to Edgy, except on the way to the next LTS. I don't know what I would do without your diligent hard work. It really is a very much appreciated service to the community. But I'd sure be grateful if somebody could fix this common and aggravating problem. Thanks. PS I know others are concerned about the same thing. Thanks for hearing my complaint.
-- apt tools remove upline dependencies https://launchpad.net/bugs/92546 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
