--On Wed, Jun 24, 1998 5:55 am -0400 "Raul Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> I took a look at putting virtual package versions into dpkg, and > realized that there were some undefined issues: > > (1) If a package provides a package version and some other package > conflicts with that package version, this would be a conflict, right? [I > suspect we'll eventually regret this.] > > (2) A package should be able to provide multiple versions of a virtual > package, right? [See (1) for one of the implications] > > Also note that I'm deliberately blurring the distinction between virtual > packages and packages which provide "real package names"... I could not > find any policy on providing non-virtual packages. Well, here's one approach: All package names are potentially virtual, in the sense that any other package might provide them. However, each package has exactly one canonical name, and canonical version. I suggest that while we allow dependencies to be satisfied by virtual (i.e. Provides: line) package, we do not enforce conflicts with them. We enforce conflicts with only the 'real' or 'canonical' package name. I cannot see this as causing problems, and as you suggest, I think the alternative might cause problems. Networks of versioned provides like this should be rare, anyway. My solution just means that the conflicts, if it is needed, must be put in the package providing the virtual packages, if it really applies. E.g: Package emacs Package my_funny_editor Conflicts: emacs (for some odd reason) Package my_emacs_clone Provides: emacs Now, my_emacs_clone should not conflict with my_funny_editor, since that conflict might be because of some curious buglet in emacs. If my_emacs_clone does in fact conflict, put the conflict line in my_emacs_clone. Jules /----------------+-------------------------------+---------------------\ | Jelibean aka | [EMAIL PROTECTED] | 6 Evelyn Rd | | Jules aka | | Richmond, Surrey | | Julian Bean | [EMAIL PROTECTED] | TW9 2TF *UK* | +----------------+-------------------------------+---------------------+ | War doesn't demonstrate who's right... just who's left. | | When privacy is outlawed... only the outlaws have privacy. | \----------------------------------------------------------------------/ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
