Hi. On Wed, Oct 09, 2019 at 02:38:48PM -0700, Patrick Bartek wrote: > > > > I really don't see anything I'd call "dependency hell" any more. > > > > Perhaps it's because I experienced the real thing, or perhaps because I > > > > don't use a DE. > > > > > > Try unistalling a DE, either in part or whole, to replace it with > > > another and you'll end up with no xorg and all the stuff that goes with > > > it, and all the apps that run under it. Quite a surprise. > > > > My experience tells me otherwise, but I know how to use apt-mark. > > The last time I tried unistalling a DE was 8 years ago. Found no > solution that wouldn't break or wipe out the system. I don't even think > apt-mark existed then.
Back then it was "apt-get install foo" for "apt-mark manual foo", and if they had an equivalent of "apt-mark auto bar" I've never used it. > Decided it was easier to do a clean install with > the DE I wanted. There wasn't enough room on the little 4GB SSD on an > Asus eeePC 900 to install two. > > > > Dependency/Recommends have gotten to the point now of > > > unnecessarily bloating a system with apps and utilities that > > > aren't needed, not wanted, and will never be used. > > > > Some examples would be nice here. > > OK. Install any DE and you'll likely get Firefox-ESR, Hm. Let's see (buster, the current stable). GNOME - 'nuf said. MATE - yes, if you're installing Recommends. KDE - no, but you get their version of kitchen sink. XFCE - no, even if you count Suggests. LXDE - yes, if you're installing Recommends. LXQT - yes, if you're installing Recommends. Seems sane. Have I forgot any DE? > Libreoffice, Actually, no. You could count LXDE here, but you have to install Suggests. > all kinds of multimedia apps and utilities, etc., etc. That's somewhat expected from a DE, but I get your point. > > > That's why I begin all my installs with a terminal-only system and > > > build it up piece by piece judiciously checking what gets installed. > > > The result is a small, > > > > uname -m && du -sxh /usr > > On this my primary system? Stretch amd64. /usr 4.0GB. Main desktop - 3.2G in / (/var is a separate filesystem), every package is hand-picked, installation is about 10 years old, multiple migrations, one architecture change. But - kid's desktop - 3.0G in / (/var is a separate filesystem), lxde metapackage, fresh installation. My point is - hand-picking packages has its fun, and a great way to pass the time (and I do it too, occasionally). But once you know the *right* metapackage, end result is nearly the same. > I've done installs using the method mentioned above where the whole > system was on a 4.0GB SSD and install only took 1.2GB including > customized LXDE desktop and applications. No swap. They had localepurge even then. You could easily shave off extra 200-300M even in such conditions. Reco
