On Jun 19, Jim Lynch wrote: > Maybe we can do this: IF the user adds a non-free source to apt's > sources.list, then and ONLY then should any free software installed > or available reveal a suggestion or recommendation of non-free or > contrib software. Should it become revealed, it would then take > effect. Were this done, I think it would satisfy both camps > here. Packages could keep their package relation declarations, and > the package managers (dpkg, dselect, apt and whatever else) can be > modified to show or hide undesired relations.
To do this, we'd need multiple new fields (Recommends-Contrib; Recommends-Non-Free; Suggests-Contrib; Suggests-Non-Free) or a separate database listing what packages are non-free/contrib so dpkg can properly ignore them. This gains nothing over the "Enhances" proposal that was bandied about months ago. "Enhances" also has advantages for DFSG-free software that's provided outside of the archive, like the slink GNOME packages and the non-US packages (even the DFSG-free ones). It also allows the addition of suggestions without bothering the original package maintainer (i.e. my new package, Foo, can enhance Bar, so Bar's maintainer doesn't have to upload a new Bar with "Suggests: Foo"). Chris -- ============================================================================= | Chris Lawrence | You have a computer. Do you have Linux? | | <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | http://www.linux-m68k.org/index.html | | | | | Grad Student, Pol. Sci. | Do you want your bank to snoop? | | University of Mississippi | http://www.defendyourprivacy.com/ | =============================================================================
