apt-get -f = REMOVED: ubuntu-desktop

[Christofer C. Bell]

On 6/25/06, John DeCarlo <johndecarlo at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> It is OK to remove ubuntu-desktop.  It is just a meta-package, so you don't
> really lose anything.

To expand on what John is saying, the ubuntu-desktop package is used
to install the entire Ubuntu GNOME environment, as such, it depends on
the presence of a number of GNOME related packages, including the gaim
that comes with the system.  It does not contain any actual software,
merely being a list of packages that describe "what is GNOME on
Ubuntu?"  When you replace the dependant gaim with one that's not
expected by ubuntu-desktop, then the dependancy tree for
ubuntu-desktop is broken and it's removed as the gaim it's looking for
is no longer installed.

This is normally not a problem as you still have "gaim" just not the
one that ubuntu-desktop is looking for.  Since all of the associated
GNOME software is already installed, you do not require that
metapackage anymore.  However, when you upgrade your system in the
future, one of the caveats to keep in mind is that you will need to
reinstall ubuntu-desktop to ensure a clean upgrade.  This will remove
your newer version of gaim an reinstall the older ubuntu package.
This is fine to do and once the system is upgraded you can reinstall
your newer gaim (if the one in the upgraded Ubuntu is not already
newer anyway).

-- 
Chris

"I trust the Democrats to take away my money, which I can afford.  I
trust the Republicans to take away my freedom, which I cannot."