[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Yann Dirson) wrote on 30.12.97 in <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
> > On 30 Dec 1997, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Mark W. Eichin) wrote: > > > > > So, timezone (7.48-3) is installed, and "required", so dpkg won't > > > remove it. timezones (2.06-1) is available, and "replaces/conflicts" > > > timezone, but dpkg (1.4.0.19) won't replace it, even with > > > auto-deconfigure. Is there a non-"force" way to handle this? > > > Robert D. Hilliard writes: > > This is Bug#16260. > > Is this really a bug in timezones ? It seems quite similar to the > problem I have myself (as the maintainer - never heard of anyone else > speaking on this) while upgrading e2fsprogs to 1.10-9. I thought it > might have been a bug in dpkg's dependency mechanism; I guess I > reported that, but can't find out a copy in my folders, neither can I > find it from the headers in "Unanswered pbs"... > > Does someone have an idea about that ? I think I once had a similar problem where dpkg refused to remove an essential package, and of course, forcing it didn't quite do the right thing - dependencies by hand can be surprising. It's been too long; I don't remember what it was. It's one of the areas where, IMO, dpkg is missing functionality. We need a way to replace even essential packages. Another long-standing problem (tetex comes to mind) is that conflicts/replaces doesn't work with multiple packages; various things don't work with virtual packages, and/or not with versions; and there's no way to tell the user "you have installed package X, that one's obsolete, you may want to replyce it with Y and Z". Plus, dpkg isn't thorough enough with dependencies. This is what leads to dselect install-configure-remove-install-configure-remove cycles, and sometimes to installs breaking the system - dpkg doesn't take into account how dependencies etc. change during package installation. I'm sure I've missed some things. MfG Kai -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] .
