apt with --install-recommends support

Tue Aug 15 13:48:02 BST 2006

Dear Friends,

this is a quick update on the latest changes in apt for edgy. 

the current version of apt in edgy has support for installing
"Recommends" if you pass it "--install-recommends" (or
--no-install-recommends). It is currently turned off by default.

Recommends are a weaker form of a dependency. It means that the
package is seriously recommended but not absolutely required. You can
remove (or choose to not install) the recommends and the package will
still run (also possibly more limited). This type of dependency is
useful in a lot of situations. 

We would like to make "install-recommends" the default soon. But
before that we need to review the current recommends to see if all are
justified or if some should rather be "Suggests" (which will not be
installed by default). The current version of apt contains a
"--fix-policy" option that will check what packages are "recommended"
by other installed packages but not installed. I attached the output
of:

$ sudo apt-get install --install-recommends --fix-policy -o Debug::pkgDepCache::AutoInstall=true 

for my pretty standard edgy test-system. As you can see the list is
pretty long and quite a few packages will need a cleanup of their
recommends. The extend of the cleanup required may well be so big that
the activation of this option needs to be postponed - this needs to be
discussed.

The latest apt does also support translated package descriptions. The
main archive does not carry the translations yet, but it is expected
to be updated in a couple of days. The translation status of the
descriptions for the various language can be found at:
https://launchpad.net/products/ddtp-ubuntu/+translations

Cheers,
 Michael

-- 
Linux is not The Answer. Yes is the answer. Linux is The Question. - Neo
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Reading package lists...
Building dependency tree...
Installing exim4 as dep of popularity-contest
Installing exim4-base as dep of exim4
Installing exim4-config as dep of exim4-base
Installing exim4-daemon-light as dep of exim4
Installing mime-construct as dep of popularity-contest
Installing libmime-types-perl as dep of mime-construct
Installing libproc-waitstat-perl as dep of mime-construct
Installing libipc-signal-perl as dep of libproc-waitstat-perl
Installing orbit2 as dep of liborbit2-dev
Installing menu as dep of menu-xdg
Installing libatk1.0-data as dep of libatk1.0-0
Installing libarts1-akode as dep of libarts1c2a
Installing libakode2 as dep of libarts1-akode
Installing liboggflac3 as dep of libakode2
Installing libsamplerate0 as dep of libakode2
Installing setserial as dep of bluez-pcmcia-support
Installing perl-suid as dep of kdelibs4c2a
Installing psfontmgr as dep of gs-esp
Installing desktop-base as dep of nautilus
Installing fam as dep of nautilus
Installing portmap as dep of fam
Installing gimp-help-en as dep of gimp-help-de
Installing python-imaging as dep of python-imaging-sane
Installing python-tk as dep of python-imaging-sane
Installing redland-utils as dep of librdf0
Installing tetex-doc as dep of tetex-base
Installing gnome-games-extra-data as dep of gnome-games
Installing texinfo as dep of debiandoc-sgml
Installing cjk-latex as dep of debiandoc-sgml
Installing libkpathsea3 as dep of cjk-latex
Installing freetype1-tools as dep of cjk-latex
Installing libttf2 as dep of freetype1-tools
Installing hlatex as dep of debiandoc-sgml
Installing hlatex-fonts-base as dep of hlatex
Installing xscreensaver as dep of xscreensaver-gl
Installing xli as dep of xscreensaver
Installing libjpeg-progs as dep of xscreensaver
Installing svn-buildpackage as dep of gnome-pkg-tools
Installing subversion as dep of svn-buildpackage
Installing libapr0 as dep of subversion
Installing libsvn0 as dep of subversion
Installing subversion-tools as dep of svn-buildpackage
Installing python-subversion as dep of subversion-tools
Installing rcs as dep of subversion-tools
Installing libconfig-inifiles-perl as dep of subversion-tools
Installing libsvn-core-perl as dep of svn-buildpackage
Installing sane-utils as dep of libsane
Installing perl-doc as dep of perl
Installing avahi-daemon as dep of rhythmbox
Installing libavahi-core4 as dep of avahi-daemon
Installing libdaemon0 as dep of avahi-daemon
Installing libnss-mdns as dep of avahi-daemon
Installing gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly as dep of rhythmbox
Installing liba52-0.7.4 as dep of gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly
Installing libdvdread3 as dep of gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly
Installing libid3tag0 as dep of gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly
Installing libmad0 as dep of gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly
Installing libmpeg2-4 as dep of gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly
Installing libsidplay1 as dep of gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly
Installing gedit-plugins as dep of gedit
Installing mailx as dep of logrotate
Installing esound-clients as dep of libesd-alsa0
Installing libmail-sendmail-perl as dep of po-debconf
Installing libcompress-zlib-perl as dep of po-debconf
Installing im-switch as dep of scim
Installing libgpod-common as dep of libgpod0
Installing libtasn1-2-bin as dep of libtasn1-2
Installing libtasn1-3-bin as dep of libtasn1-3
Installing libmudflap0-dev as dep of gcc-4.1
Installing libmudflap0 as dep of libmudflap0-dev
Installing libltdl3-dev as dep of libtool
Installing libltdl3 as dep of libltdl3-dev
Installing psutils as dep of tetex-bin
Installing perl-tk as dep of tetex-bin
Installing gutenprint-locales as dep of libgutenprintui2-1
Installing nvidia-kernel-source as dep of nvidia-kernel-common
Installing nvidia-glx as dep of nvidia-kernel-source
Installing kernel-package as dep of nvidia-kernel-source
Installing debian-archive-keyring as dep of apt
Installing sdparm as dep of laptop-mode-tools
Installing python-paramiko as dep of bzr
Installing python2.4-paramiko as dep of python-paramiko
Installing libgcj7-src as dep of java-gcj-compat
Installing gcj-4.1 as dep of libgcj7-src
Installing libgcj7-dev as dep of gcj-4.1
Installing libgcj7-awt as dep of libgcj7-dev
Installing spamassassin as dep of evolution-plugins
Installing libdigest-sha1-perl as dep of spamassassin
Installing libsocket6-perl as dep of spamassassin
Installing libarchive-tar-perl as dep of spamassassin
Installing libio-zlib-perl as dep of libarchive-tar-perl
Installing libmail-spf-query-perl as dep of spamassassin
Installing libsys-hostname-long-perl as dep of libmail-spf-query-perl
Installing libnet-dns-perl as dep of libmail-spf-query-perl
Installing libdigest-hmac-perl as dep of libnet-dns-perl
Installing libnet-ip-perl as dep of libnet-dns-perl
Installing libnet-cidr-lite-perl as dep of libmail-spf-query-perl
Installing spamc as dep of spamassassin
Installing bogofilter as dep of evolution-plugins
Installing bogofilter-bdb as dep of bogofilter
Installing libgsl0 as dep of bogofilter-bdb
Installing bogofilter-common as dep of bogofilter-bdb
Installing libdv-bin as dep of libdv4
Installing libgtk1.2 as dep of libdv-bin
Installing libgtk1.2-common as dep of libgtk1.2
Installing debconf-utils as dep of ucf
Installing totem-mozilla as dep of totem-gstreamer
Installing gimp-svg as dep of gimp
Installing dlocate as dep of debian-el
Installing grep-dctrl as dep of dlocate
Installing dctrl-tools as dep of grep-dctrl
Installing python-reportlab-accel as dep of python2.4-reportlab
Installing python-reportlab as dep of python-reportlab-accel
Installing evms-cli as dep of evms
Installing libgda2-bin as dep of libgda2-3
Installing imagemagick as dep of gnome-applets
Installing raptor-utils as dep of libraptor1
Installing mtools as dep of fdutils
Installing libmailtools-perl as dep of libwww-perl
Installing libtimedate-perl as dep of libmailtools-perl
Installing libhtml-format-perl as dep of libwww-perl
Installing libfont-afm-perl as dep of libhtml-format-perl
Installing libvisual-0.4-plugins as dep of libvisual-0.4-0
Installing libadns1-bin as dep of libadns1
Installing python-beagle as dep of deskbar-applet
Installing cvs as dep of kdesdk-scripts
Installing gawk as dep of kdesdk-scripts
Installing libft-perl as dep of defoma
Installing lsb as dep of lsb-release
Installing lsb-core as dep of lsb
Installing ncurses-term as dep of lsb-core
Installing pax as dep of lsb-core
Installing alien as dep of lsb-core
Installing rpm as dep of alien
Installing libbeecrypt6 as dep of rpm
Installing librpm4 as dep of rpm
Installing lsb-graphics as dep of lsb
Installing lsb-cxx as dep of lsb
Installing lsb-desktop as dep of lsb
Installing patchutils as dep of dpatch
Installing lzop as dep of file-roller
Installing arj as dep of file-roller
Installing p7zip as dep of file-roller
Installing p7zip-full as dep of p7zip
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  alien arj avahi-daemon bogofilter bogofilter-bdb bogofilter-common cjk-latex
  cvs dctrl-tools debconf-utils debian-archive-keyring desktop-base dlocate
  esound-clients evms-cli exim4 exim4-base exim4-config exim4-daemon-light
  freetype1-tools gawk gcj-4.1 gedit-plugins gimp-help-en gimp-svg
  gnome-games-extra-data grep-dctrl gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly
  gutenprint-locales hlatex hlatex-fonts-base im-switch imagemagick
  kernel-package liba52-0.7.4 libadns1-bin libakode2 libapr0
  libarchive-tar-perl libarts1-akode libatk1.0-data libavahi-core4
  libbeecrypt6 libcompress-zlib-perl libconfig-inifiles-perl libdaemon0
  libdigest-hmac-perl libdigest-sha1-perl libdv-bin libdvdread3
  libfont-afm-perl libft-perl libgcj7-awt libgcj7-dev libgcj7-src libgda2-bin
  libgpod-common libgsl0 libgtk1.2 libgtk1.2-common libhtml-format-perl
  libid3tag0 libio-zlib-perl libipc-signal-perl libjpeg-progs libkpathsea3
  libltdl3 libltdl3-dev libmad0 libmail-sendmail-perl libmail-spf-query-perl
  libmailtools-perl libmime-types-perl libmpeg2-4 libmudflap0 libmudflap0-dev
  libnet-cidr-lite-perl libnet-dns-perl libnet-ip-perl libnss-mdns liboggflac3
  libproc-waitstat-perl librpm4 libsamplerate0 libsidplay1 libsocket6-perl
  libsvn-core-perl libsvn0 libsys-hostname-long-perl libtasn1-3-bin
  libtimedate-perl libttf2 libvisual-0.4-plugins lsb lsb-core lsb-cxx
  lsb-desktop lsb-graphics lzop mailx menu mime-construct mtools ncurses-term
  nvidia-glx nvidia-kernel-source orbit2 p7zip p7zip-full patchutils pax
  perl-doc perl-suid perl-tk portmap psfontmgr psutils python-beagle
  python-imaging python-imaging-sane python-paramiko python-reportlab
  python-reportlab-accel python-subversion python-tk python2.4-paramiko
  raptor-utils rcs redland-utils rpm sane-utils sdparm setserial spamassassin
  spamc subversion subversion-tools svn-buildpackage tetex-doc texinfo
  totem-mozilla xli xscreensaver
Suggested packages:
  lsb-rpm lintian db4.4-util tfm-arphic-bsmi00lp tfm-arphic-bkai00mp
  tfm-arphic-gbsn00lp tfm-arphic-gkai00mp hbf-jfs56 hbf-cns40-b5 hbf-kanji48
  gnome kde xfce4 wmaker eximon4 exim4-doc-html exim4-doc-info gnutls-bin
  t1utils hlatex-fonts-extra html2ps linux-source kernel-source libdb3-dev
  libio-string-perl libdvdcss2 libgcj-doc gsl-ref-psdoc gsl-doc-pdf
  gsl-ref-html libtool-doc lib64mudflap0 nscd zeroconf sidplay-base xsidplay
  lsb-qt4 floppyd groff gv python-imaging-doc python-reportlab-doc tix unpaper
  razor libnet-ident-perl libio-socket-ssl-perl libdbi-perl dcc-client pyzor
  db4.3-util fsh libapache2-mod-php4 libapache2-mod-php5 netpbm xfishtank
  xdaliclock qcam streamer
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  python2.4-imaging python2.4-imaging-sane python2.4-reportlab
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  alien arj avahi-daemon bogofilter bogofilter-bdb bogofilter-common cjk-latex
  cvs dctrl-tools debconf-utils debian-archive-keyring desktop-base dlocate
  esound-clients evms-cli exim4 exim4-base exim4-config exim4-daemon-light
  freetype1-tools gawk gcj-4.1 gedit-plugins gimp-help-en gimp-svg
  gnome-games-extra-data grep-dctrl gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly
  gutenprint-locales hlatex hlatex-fonts-base im-switch imagemagick
  kernel-package liba52-0.7.4 libadns1-bin libakode2 libapr0
  libarchive-tar-perl libarts1-akode libatk1.0-data libavahi-core4
  libbeecrypt6 libcompress-zlib-perl libconfig-inifiles-perl libdaemon0
  libdigest-hmac-perl libdigest-sha1-perl libdv-bin libdvdread3
  libfont-afm-perl libft-perl libgcj7-awt libgcj7-dev libgcj7-src libgda2-bin
  libgpod-common libgsl0 libgtk1.2 libgtk1.2-common libhtml-format-perl
  libid3tag0 libio-zlib-perl libipc-signal-perl libjpeg-progs libkpathsea3
  libltdl3 libltdl3-dev libmad0 libmail-sendmail-perl libmail-spf-query-perl
  libmailtools-perl libmime-types-perl libmpeg2-4 libmudflap0 libmudflap0-dev
  libnet-cidr-lite-perl libnet-dns-perl libnet-ip-perl libnss-mdns liboggflac3
  libproc-waitstat-perl librpm4 libsamplerate0 libsidplay1 libsocket6-perl
  libsvn-core-perl libsvn0 libsys-hostname-long-perl libtasn1-3-bin
  libtimedate-perl libttf2 libvisual-0.4-plugins lsb lsb-core lsb-cxx
  lsb-desktop lsb-graphics lzop mailx menu mime-construct mtools ncurses-term
  nvidia-glx nvidia-kernel-source orbit2 p7zip p7zip-full patchutils pax
  perl-doc perl-suid perl-tk portmap psfontmgr psutils python-beagle
  python-paramiko python-reportlab-accel python-subversion python-tk
  python2.4-paramiko raptor-utils rcs redland-utils rpm sane-utils sdparm
  setserial spamassassin spamc subversion subversion-tools svn-buildpackage
  tetex-doc texinfo totem-mozilla xli xscreensaver
The following packages will be upgraded:
  python-imaging python-imaging-sane python-reportlab
3 upgraded, 140 newly installed, 3 to remove and 31 not upgraded.
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