> Adding 1100 additional packages to debian, and 800 mb[1] additional to be > downloaded every apt update is unambiguously bloat.
(As you've stated elsewhere, 800kB not millibits ;-)) Balance that against
the case where anyone downloading -dev packages right now is forced to get
static libs when they probably don't want or need them. We shouldn't get
rid of the them outright, as people have demonstrated a real need to have
static libs in some cases. But I like the idea of -dev and -static-dev
packages, personally.
If the size of the Packages download on apt-get update is an issue are
there other ways of reducing that, such as rsync/diff Package file updates
as the norm? (No, I'm not volunteering to implement this, but it seems
like this has come up in the past.)
> It also goes rather against the originally stated rationalle of saving on
> download time.
I could see that doing an apt-get update is a much more common operation
than downloading -dev packages, it's a good point.
> And it wouldn't provide any significant choice.
As others have pointed out, it would let you download the bits of -dev that
make sense for your particular situation.
Take care,
Dale
--
Dale E. Martin, Clifton Labs, Inc.
Senior Computer Engineer
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.cliftonlabs.com
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