Re: For developers: relax the dependency system

[Volker Paul <vpaul dohle com>]

On Tue, 18 Dec 2001, Flower wrote:
> Please dont't shout me it it was already discused. I usualy don't use RPM
> on my linux ditro but I think I have a good ideea for you to get past the
> dependency hell in RPM systems.
> 
> I.e.: if you install kde it will require efax, if you install mutt it will
> require ispell even if I don;t want to use the spell checker on that
> system.
> 
> So, here is what I propose. Make de "required" statement on grained steps:
> 
> REQ1 = "it will add extra functionality if you also install this
> RPM but the program will be full w/o it"
> 
> REQ2 = "the program will lack some marginal functionality if you
> don't install this one but you will still be able to use most of the
> functions"
> 
> REQ3 = "recomended by the packager (author)"
> 
> REQ4 = "the program will be badly handicaped w/o it but you will still be
> able to use the basic functions, so if you target only for a minimal
> install you can pass this"
> 
> REQ5 = "NO WAY. You don't install this one and the program will do nasty
> things and will not even work. This is actually REQUIRED."

Although one might argue about the number of steps, the idea in't bad
and already implemented in Debian's dpkg tool, where there is
a "requires" as in RPM and a "recommends" which corresponds
to your proposed REQ3.

Yours, 
 
Volker Paul