Breezy upgrade question

[Eamonn Sullivan]

On 15/10/05, Derek Broughton <news at pointerstop.ca> wrote:
> Eamonn Sullivan wrote:
>
> > On 15/10/05, R Kimber <rkimber at ntlworld.com> wrote:
> >> I'm about to upgrade, but don't quite understand the significance of
> >> ubuntu-base and ubuntu-desktop
> >>
> >> I have read in the wiki BreezyUpgradeNotes that you need to have these
> >> packages installed, as without them "it is much more likely that you
> >> will encounter problems during the upgrade."
> >>
> >> However, if I choose to install ubuntu-base synaptic says that Exim
> >> will be removed (I'm using Exim not Postfix).  I don't want to remove
> >> Exim and really don't see why I should be more liable to upgrade
> >> problems just because I choose to run Exim.
> >>
> >> If I choose to install ubuntu-desktop synaptic wants to install
> >> OpenOffice which I don't want because that will entail the removal of
> >> Abiword and I've never had any joy using OO (it won't print).
> >>
> >> Ubuntu is for humans, and this one wants Exim and Abiword, but also
> >> doesn't want to encounter problems during the upgrade.
> >>
> >> Is there a way round this? Thanks.
> >
> > No. You *will* have problems if you try installing without these basic
> > packages. Why not install them, upgrade and then switch back to Exim
> > and Abiword?
>
> Ye Gods!  They are NOT basic.  OO provides absolutely _no_ functionality
> required by anything else (I use it and love it, but it is certainly no
> requirement for Ubuntu).  And imo, Postfix is serious overkill for the
> typical ubuntu user.  I use Masqmail.  imo, ubuntu-desktop should
> _recommend_ postfix but _require_ mail-transport-agent.
> --
> derek

Yes, I understand that, but these are basic parts of Ubuntu. I believe
the developers are working on some more granularity with the packages,
but essentially what you are doing is running your own distro, using
Ubuntu as a starting point. That's fine -- I'm all for it -- but if
you want to piggy-back your distro on Ubuntu, you need to at least be
running it when you do a dist-upgrade. No big deal: Temporarily
pretend you want to run Ubuntu, install ubuntu-desktop, upgrade, then
customize.

If Abiword is removed in the process, you don't lose any of your
settings. Once up and running, reinstall abiword and off you go... I'm
having a hard time understanding why people get a bit upset by this.
Run a distro that uses just abiword then.

-Eamonn