On 3/18/13, Michael Biebl <bi...@debian.org> wrote: > severity 703249 wishlist > tags 703249 + wontfix > thanks > > On 17.03.2013 17:39, Konrad Vrba wrote: >> Problem: I would like to kindly suggest, that rsyslog-mysql should not >> depend on dbconfig-common (it can be recommended, but not required) >> >> Reason: rsyslog-mysql is used to log into mysql database, which in >> most cases is on a remote machine (one server, many clients). >> dbconfig-common tries to set up mysql database automatically, but on a >> local client. I have two objections to this: >> 1) dbconfig-common does not do any useful work (the database already >> exists on the server), and therefore should not be required to be >> installed. It only confuses things. >> 2) being interactive, dbconfig-common breaks automated upgrade >> scripts (DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -q -y upgrade), by >> waiting for user input >> >> Summary: I believe, packages should not be installed thoughtlessly. >> Only packages that are really needed should be installed, as more >> packages means more possible (security) bugs and dependency problems. >> Additionally in case of dbconfig-common, this is a huge package (I >> have counted 249 files !!!) which cannot be removed even after its >> (supposed) job has been done. I feel strongly that debian users should >> have as much freedom as possible to choose which packages they wish to >> install. > > I don't find your arguments convincing. dbconfig-common is *not* a huge > package, it's just about 1MB of installed size without further > dependencies. > Second, dbconfig-common can be used to configure rsyslog for remote > mysql servers. > Third, I don't think a remote mysql servier is the common case. > Fourth, you can skip dbconfig-common altogether if you don't like it and > setup rsyslog-mysql manually. > > Thus marking the bug as wishlist and wontfix as with the arguments > provided so far I don't see a reason to change it. > > Michael
Dear Michael, what you describe seems to me like a perfect definition of a recommended package. As I understand it, a required package is a package which is required for the main package to function properly. This is no such case, in my opinion. My suggestion was to change the status to recommended, so that people have the possibility to install rsyslog-mysql with --no-install-recommends. Until that happens, people must modify the package themselves, and remove the dependency manually. That somehow misses the purpose of a packaged distribution. After all, the main payload of rsyslog-mysql is just one file: /usr/lib/rsyslog/ommysql.so I don't think it is right to treat debian users like children, who are not allowed to ride the bicycle without the training wheels, for fear they would hurt themselves. If someone wants to install with dbconfig-common, good for them. I am just asking for the freedom to choose no. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
