Downgrading packages after removing a repository

[C de-Avillez]

On Sat, 2009-08-01 at 19:49 +0100, Andrew Sayers wrote:
> I've found a bug (or maybe it's a feature request) in apt (or maybe it's 
> in software-properties-gtk).  I'd like to get people's opinions about 
> where this is best reported, and what the report should say.
> 
> When you add a repository to your computer, then remove that repository, 
> it's not obvious how to downgrade packages that are no longer available.
> 
> Normally this is a minor irritant, but it can be a security issue, or 
> can even make recovery very hard indeed.  Here are three user stories to 
> illustrate the issue:

I am sort of surprised that there has been no comments here about it.
This is -- at least for me -- a clear need, and the user cases are
consistent with my own experience. If we add in the mix the usual
testing with PPAs, having a *standard* way of going back is not only
desirable, but actually needed.

I would say that a blueprint would be a good way to formalise this.

> Would you find this too intrusive?  Not intrusive enough?  Should I 
> forget about Synaptic now that AppCenter is coming along, or should I 
> focus on getting functionality into APT that can later be made available 
> through the GUI?

I do not know if too much/little intrusive, but I certainly like the
idea, and I do think having a way of returning to a known,
fully-supported state should be a *basic* requirement. This not only
helps the casual user, as those that live on the bleeding edge.

Thank you for the proposal.


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