ubuntu-desktop metapackage - options?

[Conrad Knauer]

On 12/31/06, Alec Wright <alecjw at gmail.com> wrote:

> Ok. Here's the situation. When you install Ubuntu, you might (like me)
> not want Firefox, and prefer Epiphany instead. You might prefer mozilla
> thunderbird over evolution, or BMPX over Rhythmbox. If you are one of
> these people, you probably get rather annoyed that you have to keep
> Firefox, Evolution and/or Rhythmbox, or remove ubuntu-desktop, hence not
> receiving any updates to the desktop metapackage.

This reminds me of a bug I filed a little while back involving totem-mozilla:
https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-meta/+bug/68874

> Here's the idea. The ubuntu-desktop metapacakge should allow different
> options for the dependencies such as mozilla-firefox OR epiphany-browser
> OR iceweasel, evolution OR mozill-thunderbird, rhythmbox OR bmpx etc
> etc.

Here's the dependency info from the most recent ubuntu-desktop
(version 1.33) from Feisty:

---
Depends: acpi, acpi-support, acpid, alacarte, anacron, apmd,
apport-gtk, avahi-autoipd, avahi-daemon, bc, bug-buddy, cdparanoia,
cdrecord, contact-lookup-applet, cupsys, cupsys-bsd, cupsys-client,
cupsys-driver-gutenprint, dc, deskbar-applet, desktop-file-utils,
diveintopython, doc-base, dvd+rw-tools, ekiga, eog, esound, evince,
evolution, evolution-exchange, evolution-plugins, evolution-webcal,
f-spot, file-roller, firefox, firefox-gnome-support, foo2zjs,
foomatic-db, foomatic-db-engine, foomatic-db-hpijs, foomatic-filters,
fortune-mod, gaim, gcalctool, gconf-editor, gdebi, gdm, gedit, gimp,
gimp-print, gimp-python, gnome-about, gnome-app-install,
gnome-applets, gnome-control-center, gnome-cups-manager,
gnome-icon-theme, gnome-keyring-manager, gnome-media, gnome-menus,
gnome-netstatus-applet, gnome-nettool, gnome-panel,
gnome-pilot-conduits, gnome-power-manager, gnome-session, gnome-spell,
gnome-system-monitor, gnome-system-tools, gnome-terminal,
gnome-themes, gnome-utils, gnome-volume-manager, gnome2-user-guide,
gs-esp, gstreamer0.10-alsa, gstreamer0.10-esd,
gstreamer0.10-plugins-base-apps, gthumb, gtk2-engines, gucharmap, hal,
hal-device-manager, hotkey-setup, hwdb-client-gnome, landscape-client,
language-selector, lftp, libgl1-mesa-glx, libglut3, libgnome2-perl,
libgnomevfs2-bin, libgnomevfs2-extra, libnss-mdns, libpam-foreground,
libpt-plugins-v4l, libpt-plugins-v4l2, libsasl2-modules, libstdc++5,
libxp6, linuxprinting.org-ppds, metacity, min12xxw, mkisofs, nautilus,
nautilus-cd-burner, nautilus-sendto, notification-daemon,
openoffice.org, openoffice.org-evolution, openoffice.org-gnome,
pnm2ppa, powermanagement-interface, readahead, rhythmbox, rss-glx,
screen, screensaver-default-images, scrollkeeper, serpentine, slocate,
smbclient, sound-juicer, ssh-askpass-gnome, synaptic,
tangerine-icon-theme, tango-icon-theme, tango-icon-theme-common,
tomboy, totem, totem-mozilla, tsclient, ttf-bitstream-vera,
ttf-dejavu, ttf-freefont, ubuntu-artwork, ubuntu-docs, ubuntu-sounds,
unzip, update-notifier, usplash, usplash-theme-ubuntu, vino, wvdial,
x-ttcidfont-conf, xkeyboard-config, xorg, xsane, xscreensaver-data,
xscreensaver-gl, xterm, xvncviewer, yelp, zenity, zip

Recommends: bluez-cups, bluez-pin, bluez-utils, brltty, brltty-x11,
example-content, gcc, gnome-accessibility-themes, gnome-games,
gnome-mag, gnome-orca, gnome-screensaver, hplip,
linux-headers-generic, make, onboard, powernowd, scim,
scim-gtk2-immodule, ttf-arabeyes, ttf-arphic-ukai, ttf-arphic-uming,
ttf-baekmuk, ttf-gentium, ttf-indic-fonts, ttf-kochi-gothic,
ttf-kochi-mincho, ttf-lao, ttf-malayalam-fonts, ttf-mgopen,
ttf-thai-tlwg, xcursor-themes
---

Note that programs that can be uninstalled without removing
ubuntu-desktop (e.g. gnome-games) are simply recommended (but
installed by default as I recall).  It should be a fairly simple
matter to move some apps from Depends to Recommends; I would suggest:

evolution, evolution-exchange, evolution-plugins, evolution-webcal
f-spot
firefox, firefox-gnome-support
gaim
gimp, gimp-print, gimp-python
openoffice.org, openoffice.org-evolution, openoffice.org-gnome
rhythmbox
totem, totem-mozilla

(if I missed any or any of those shouldn't, please update my list :)

CK