I'm forwarding this message to the list with the permission of the
author, since it relates to the recent thread about mass filing of
bugs regarding libxaw-dev.
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On Wed, Nov 20, 2002 at 10:27:25PM -0800, Daniel Schepler wrote:
> Package: acfax
> Severity: normal
>
> This package Build-Depends on libxaw-dev, which is wrong because it's
> a pure virtual package. You need to specify a specific version of
> libxaw-dev to be used.
Why do I need to specify a specific version? Which part of policy says
so?
The same applies to normal depends. Some people believe that any
dependency on a virtual package must be expressed as "a real package |
the virtual package". However this is a workaround for a limitation of
apt-get (that it can't choose a default for a virtual package). The
correct solution is to fix the package management tools, not to kludge
around the problem. Debian does not have a history of kludging around
the problems so let's not start now.
Hamish
--
Hamish Moffatt VK3SB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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--
Daniel Schepler "Please don't disillusion me. I
[EMAIL PROTECTED] haven't had breakfast yet."
-- Orson Scott Card
