Public bug reported:

Please revert LP: #1738259 (linux-image dependency on microcode).

For Ubuntu 14.04, after the 3.13.0-148 update on the linux-image-generic
package, intel-microcode AND amd64-microcode have become a hard
dependency on almost every Ubuntu installation. I know this was done for
security's sake, but I (as a user) am not impressed with the change - at
least the _way_ the change is pushed is too hard.

Specifically, there are two problems with the push:

1. It forces user to install one unnecessary package for microcode that
do not apply for their CPU architecture (intel-microcode for an AMD CPU
or amd64-microcode for an Intel's).

2. For licensing reasons, intel-microcode and amd64-microcode shouldn't
be pushed to main from restricted, and I bet some free software purists
would refrain from installing any microcode update package at all. (They
would value freedom more than security.)

A better approach would be to let linux-image-generic just "Recommend"
the microcode packages rather than Depend on them. Please revert the
hard dependency.

** Affects: linux-meta (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

** Description changed:

- Please revert LP:#1738259 (linux-image dependency on microcode).
+ Please revert LP: #1738259 (linux-image dependency on microcode).
  
  For Ubuntu 14.04, after the 3.13.0-148 update on the linux-image-generic
  package, intel-microcode AND amd64-microcode have become a hard
  dependency on almost every Ubuntu installation. I know this was done for
  security's sake, but I (as a user) am not impressed with the change - at
  least the _way_ the change is pushed is too hard.
  
  Specifically, there are two problems with the push:
  
  1. It forces user to install one unnecessary package for microcode that
  do not apply for their CPU architecture (intel-microcode for an AMD CPU
  or amd64-microcode for an Intel's).
  
  2. For licensing reasons, intel-microcode and amd64-microcode shouldn't
  be pushed to main from restricted, and I bet some free software purists
  would refrain from installing any microcode update package at all. (They
  would value freedom more than security.)
  
  A better approach would be to let linux-image-generic just "Recommend"
  the microcode packages rather than Depend on them. Please revert the
  hard dependency.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1784797

Title:
  Please revert LP:#1738259 (linux-image dependency on microcode)

Status in linux-meta package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  Please revert LP: #1738259 (linux-image dependency on microcode).

  For Ubuntu 14.04, after the 3.13.0-148 update on the linux-image-
  generic package, intel-microcode AND amd64-microcode have become a
  hard dependency on almost every Ubuntu installation. I know this was
  done for security's sake, but I (as a user) am not impressed with the
  change - at least the _way_ the change is pushed is too hard.

  Specifically, there are two problems with the push:

  1. It forces user to install one unnecessary package for microcode
  that do not apply for their CPU architecture (intel-microcode for an
  AMD CPU or amd64-microcode for an Intel's).

  2. For licensing reasons, intel-microcode and amd64-microcode
  shouldn't be pushed to main from restricted, and I bet some free
  software purists would refrain from installing any microcode update
  package at all. (They would value freedom more than security.)

  A better approach would be to let linux-image-generic just "Recommend"
  the microcode packages rather than Depend on them. Please revert the
  hard dependency.

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