On Mon, Oct 04, 2004 at 11:04:05PM -0400, Kevin Mark wrote: > Hi Adrian, > if 'boot-loader' was not a real package (not sure if it requires a new > catagory or if it fits under meta or virtual) and then when you did: > apt-get install boot-loader > it (dpkg or apt -- not sure) checked your ARCH and then install the one that > 'provides: boot-loader' and matches your ARCH > where > Package: lilo > Provides: boot-loader > Architecture: i386 and > Package: silo > Provides: boot-loader > Architecture: sparc > > And would install lilo on i386 and silo on sparc. The idea is that they > both provide similar functionality but are arch dependant. > > Not sure what to do if more than one package can satisfy the 'provides'.
The problem in this specific case was, that a binary-all package wanted to have grub installed instead of lilo. Yes, you can solve some problems using virtual packages like boot-loader. No, you can't solve all problems using virtual packages like boot-loader. > Hope this is not too OT but I'm trying to understand under the hood. > -Kev cu Adrian -- "Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days. "Only a promise," Lao Er said. Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed