[clue-tech] Debian: change to apt defaults.

[Angelo Bertolli]

David L. Anselmi wrote:
> If you use apt, or something that runs apt underneath, it will start 
> installing recommends packages by default starting 1 Oct (1 Oct in 
> unstable, soon after in testing, the Lenny release for stable).
>
> http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2007/08/msg00000.html
>
> Right now if you ask apt to install something it will automatically 
> install that packages depends.  Recommends is the next level, "The 
> Recommends field should list packages that would be found together 
> with this one in all but unusual installations."
>
> http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-relationships.html#s-binarydeps 
>
>
> You can configure apt to keep the old behavior.
>
> Aptitude has done this for a while, and although I don't turn it off I 
> sometimes stop it from doing this.  For example, something depends on 
> libfam so that gets installed.  libfam recommends fam, but I don't 
> have any need of that so I don't install it.  Unfortunately with apt I 
> don't think it will be as easy as deselecting a package--you'll have 
> to answer no when it asks for confirmation and then change your 
> command line.
>
> Part of the change is to fix recommends that shouldn't be there so I 
> don't know whether that makes my example moot.

Ugh.  What do they mean "all but unusual installations?"  Who is going 
to determine that?  Is running my server an "unusual" installation?  I 
find that I'm usually recommended packages and ignore them.  I install 
what I want...

Thanks for letting us know.

Angelo

-- 
http://bitfreedom.com/