etc alternatives craziness

[Derek Broughton]

Ed Lazerus wrote:

> On Tue, Nov 17, 2009 at 10:37 AM, Derek Broughton
> <derek at pointerstop.ca>wrote:
> 
>> Ed Lazerus wrote:
>>
>> > Can someone please tell me how can I disable and prevent this
>> > /etc/alternative mess?
>>
>> Afaik, it can't be done.
> 
> This is a VERY bad move.
> 
> 
>>  Every time you manually create a symlink that
>> could be handled by alternatives, you risk breaking something else, and
>> it will likely be replaced the next time the package providing the old
>> symlink
>>
> 
> See my post to Karl, if I use complete remove it should do that and allow
> me to run the true binary.

I saw that post.  It doesn't tell me what you _really_ want to do.

Completely remove "what"?  If you completely remove a package that uses 
alternatives, it will either provide no binary, or alternatives will point 
to an alternative.  That seems right.  You _can't_ remove "update-
alternatives", and therefore the alternatives facility, because it's part of 
dpkg - which is a core part of any Debian system.
> 
> 
>> is upgraded anyway. Why anyone would _want_ to do it is beyond me -
>> trying
>>
> 
> see my post to Karl, I like to run for some modern features some programs,
> surely that is not beyond you? :)

OK, if you're going to be insulting I see no need to help you, but in any 
case it _isn't_ under any circumstances necessary to remove the alternatives 
facility.  But you're on your own now.

-- 
derek