Package: task-desktop
Version: 3.09
Severity: wishlist
X-Debbugs-Cc: debian-de...@lists.debian.org
X-Debbugs-Cc: 586...@bugs.debian.org
Synaptic is no longer in the desktop task since tasksel 2.43:
http://packages.debian.org/changelogs/pool/main/t/tasksel/current/changelog#version2.43
* Add kpackage to kde-desktop.
* Move synaptic to gnome-desktop.
The idea of having each desktop provide its package manager was good,
but kpackage was very far from matching Synaptic. It was even removed
from KDE later, with the result that installing task-kde-desktop no
longer causes the installation of a graphical package manager, as
reported in http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=586982
There is still nothing that matches Synaptic today.
Furthermore, we now have LXDE and Xfce, which are also not preinstalling
any graphical package manager. So I think Synaptic should be
preinstalled on all DE-s... except that in Squeeze, GNOME itself does
not preinstall Synaptic. Instead, it preinstalls GNOME PackageKit.
I asked about this, specifically about the situation for GNOME, in
https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2012/03/msg00829.html
That message has some more relevant information.
There was one reply from Jon Dowland, who thinks "Synaptic is probably
quite rightly not part of either [GNOME or KDE], but [agrees] that a
"default desktop" via install should provide a GUI package manager."
There were however no suggestions of alternatives.
It seems nobody thinks it's best to just install GNOME PackageKit.
Adding synaptic to task-desktop will effectively cause the
preinstallation of both Synaptic and GNOME PackageKit on GNOME. I do not
consider that a big problem, but gnome-core could stop depending on
gnome-packagekit if we think it's best.