[NTLUG:Discuss] Debian

[Pat Regan]

Kevin Brannen wrote:
> Yes, this is probably the issue.  The most common one I've seen is when 
> I install KDE and it seems to demand I install sane and xsane, but I 
> don't have a scanner on the system, so that's just wasted space.  I've 
> always felt that an easy solution to this is for the distro authors (or 
> maybe it's the app authors) to create an optional "null" lib (or null 
> app) that can be installed to satisfiy the dependency, but is otherwise 
> empty.  I haven't seen that, but it sounds good on when I think about 
> it. :-)

I am certainly not informed enough to know what the truth is, so I will
have to go with the hypothetical :).

I will assume that some package belonging to KDE has a Gimp-alike type
application.  If you have that application installed, it may "require"
sane to be installed.

Now if we define "require" in such a way that if sane is not installed
this program will fail to function at all, then the packager did the
correct thing.  On the other hand, the scanning features may just fail
gracefully.  If that is the case it should not depend on sane, but it
should "suggest" or "recommend" sane be installed.

I am assuming RPM packages can define similar dependencies.

There is also the fact then generally many applications belonging to
Gnome and KDE tend to get lumped into a single package.  So, to invent
an example...

Lets say that KDE graphics application is part of koffice and your
distribution lumps each piece of koffice into a single package and that
this program "depends" on sane.  You would have no way of installing
kword without installing sane because the graphics program depends on it.

We are at the mercy of the people who are building out packages,
assuming of course we want the convenience of not rolling out own
install every time we upgrade :).  Most of the time they do a pretty
darn good job, and I thank them wholeheartedly for saving me so much
effort :).

I don't know about you, but I don't mind putting up with a few extra
bits and pieces I don't need just so I don't have to deal with
"dependency hell" like I did 5 (or more?) years ago.  Although even if I
didn't have apt to do the work for me, the dependencies would be no
different, and I probably wouldn't be able to uninstall sane :).

Pat