* Russ Allbery [Sun, 20 Aug 2006 17:30:39 -0700]: > Please don't rely on transitive dependencies. It's just a lurking bug > waiting to happen. Your package contains a Python script which requires a > Python interpreter. It should therefore depend on the package that > provides the Python interpreter. Unless python-support is defined to > provide a Python interpreter, it's not the correct package to depend on > for that purpose.
> In general, for every interface, system service, or binary that your > package uses, you should depend directly on the package that provides that > interface, system service, or binary unless that package is essential, and > not assume that some other dependency will provide it for you. Time and > again, transitions in Debian have proven that such assumptions break over > time and suddenly make packages RC-buggy. Yes, sometimes it's very > unlikely that such a transition will happen, but I think it's better as a > general rule to be sure. JFTR, the bug is solely in python-support, and not in the package lacking the dependency: although not advertised in the description (which is user-oriented), python-support also takes care at build time of generating a list of needed dependencies and placing it in the ${python:Depends} substvar. With this, it's reasonable to expect for it to provide a correct list of such dependencies, which should include "python" for packages shiping scripts invoking /usr/bin/python. Thanks, -- Adeodato Simó dato at net.com.org.es Debian Developer adeodato at debian.org Listening to: Mirafiori - Cinco minutos -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]