Proposal for apt install-recommends settings
vidd
vidd at crosslink.net
Fri Oct 24 14:07:15 UTC 2008
As was done in Debian, Ubuntu has elected to modify the default handling
of recommended packages.
In Hardy (8.04) apt-config dump shows the default setting
APT::Install-Recommends "0";
This has the result of apt-get listing recommended items, but not
installing these items by default.
In Intrepid (8.10), this behavior has changed. Now recommends are being
treated as depends.
For the majority of users, this is tolerable.
However, for some users, particularly net-device users, low-spec
servers, and minimalists, this is a heavy burden.
I have a proposal that would easily remove this burden for the user that
wishes to not install recommends by default, and yet easily enable the
install recommends for those that want it:
1.) Set up apt to not install recommends in the default configuration
2.) Create a package that writes the following:
APT::Install-Recommends "1" ;
3.) Have that package save this as
"/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/01[SomeFileName]" (ie
"/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/01AptRecommends")
The benefits are:
The user who does a cli-only install and builds the system up from
there (server user, minimalist, etc) are not forced to install packages
that are "works best with" (recommends) unless they choose to add them
The Disto Packager, at their option, can simply add this package to
the "won't work without" (depends) list of their respective -desktop
package
The "Tweeker" can easily locate and remove the package (and thus the
file)
from a desktop install, or locate and add the package (and thus the
file) from a server or cli install
For those users, like myself, that would like to not have Recommends
installed by default, simply create a file in /etc/apt/apt.cong.d with
the following line:
APT::Install-Recommends "0"
The file should be named in the following format
[number from 00 to 99][text]
such as "01AptRecommendsNo"
Thank you
vidd
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