feature: to add explanations of recommendations and suggestions dependencies
Hi. I'd like to propose a feature for the package management system; What I am offering is the idea that package dependencies that are reccomendations or suggestions must be explained. Many times I can't guess the reason a package is being recommended/suggested and in times that I can guess I mostly can't be sure until I do some digging. Optimally, when a user comes about to install a package he should know what the functionality that he's looking for in that package is and generally how it works. Sometimes, this is not the case. Sometimes, when the reason for a recommendation/suggestion is not apparent from the descriptions of the packages, a user might be missing out on interesting functionality or on the other hand, install a package that won't be of service. This will also make it easier to decide to not treat recommendations as dependencies, because the user will know exactly what purpose each recommendation has. I am not suggesting this data will be put in with the package's description, but that it will have it's own dignified place in the package's metadata (if that's the term); an explanation for each recommendation/suggestion. Dependencies that are actual dependencies and not recommendations or suggestions, should not require this information for this same purpose but it may be a good idea for different purposes that I'm not thinking about right now. Excellent week and fun at debconf! -- Shachar Or | שחר אור http://ox.freeallweb.org/ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: feature: to add explanations of recommendations and suggestions dependencies
On Tuesday 12 August 2008 22:57, Adeodato Simó wrote: > * Shachar Or [Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:36:35 +0300]: > > I am not suggesting this data will be put in with the package's > > description, > > Why not? I think (briefly) explaining some of the most relevant > recommends and suggests is a perfect use of the description space. And > if more verbosity is needed, that information should go into the > README.Debian file in my opinion. Of course that while there aren't data 'fields' for this purpose it would be best that maintainers put this in the description. I'm suggesting that there be fields for this purpose, specifically - a reason behind each recommend/sugggest. This would make it possible for tools to fetch this information specifically, for tools to display this information in specific locations and perhaps for the system to 'know' for what reason(s) a package is installed. > > Cheers, -- Shachar Or | שחר אור http://ox.freeallweb.org/ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: feature: to add explanations of recommendations and suggestions dependencies
On Wednesday 13 August 2008 18:34, Daniel Burrows wrote: > On Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 08:57:24PM +0100, Adeodato Simó <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> was heard to say: > > * Shachar Or [Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:36:35 +0300]: > > > I am not suggesting this data will be put in with the package's > > > description, > > > > Why not? I think (briefly) explaining some of the most relevant > > recommends and suggests is a perfect use of the description space. And > > if more verbosity is needed, that information should go into the > > README.Debian file in my opinion. > > The thing is that the Description field is not machine-parseable. > If aptitude, for instance, knew about the purpose of a Recommends, > it could indicate this to the user at convenient places in the UI > where the Description might not be visible (and without requiring > the user to hunt for the recommendation in the Description). So there's some positive response. Where is a good place to pursue this further? Is this a debian policy change? /me is no DD, nor DM, nor D*; only a user (with good intentions and occasionally an idea). > > Daniel -- Shachar Or | שחר אור http://ox.freeallweb.org/ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: A tool for tracking masked updates to stable packages
On Thursday 14 August 2008 03:00, Frans Pop wrote: > Marcin Owsiany wrote: > > I've just started to do research in order to write a tool which I was > > always missing. What I have so far is just a brief "background" > > information, explaining the problem - see below. > > I agree that this is a missing feature ATM: to be able to see at a glance > which packages did not come from the regular repository or have newer > versions than available from registered repositories. > > However, I would actually prefer this to be integrated in the regular > package management frontends (e.g. aptitude) rather than a separate tool. I put in +1 to that. Nothing to add. > > If the source of the package is in /etc/apt/sources.list, it should be > trivial to create a new view and/or informational fields that show where > an installed version comes from: regular archive, security, volatile, > external archive. Or, if there are no matches to show it as locally > installed. > > If there are multiple potential sources some kind of ordering may be > needed [1] as may handling of CD sets. > > Cheers, > FJP > > [1] 'apt-cache policy ' essentially already does ordering -- Shachar Or | שחר אור http://ox.freeallweb.org/ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
