I've checked the build-dependencies of gegl in Ubuntu, and none of them ship .la files. So it looks like some other library that you have built locally, which depends on freetype (gegl does not directly build-depend on freetype), has a .la file installed which references the now-removed libfreetype.la.
This sort of brittleness is exactly why we no longer ship .la files. You should rebuild your other local library against the .la-less disco freetype, at which point this problem goes away and gegl should be buildable. The .la file will not be readded to the package. ** Changed in: freetype (Ubuntu) Status: Incomplete => Won't Fix -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Touch seeded packages, which is subscribed to freetype in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1815496 Title: Unlike libfreetype6-dev in Cosmic the version shipped with Disco doesn't include libfreetype.la file Status in freetype package in Ubuntu: Won't Fix Bug description: I noticed when trying to compile an application against the version of the freetype library shipped with Disco that it doesn't include the libfreetype.la file in /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/ My compilation failed when it couldn't find the file. To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/freetype/+bug/1815496/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages Post to : touch-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp