On 30 Apr 2005, Jules Dubois wrote: > On Saturday 30 April 2005 07:19, Lee Braiden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > (<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>) wrote: >
[snip] > Personally, I updated the package database using aptitude, by hand -- this > is basically a one-time, if tedious, process. Following this, the idea > that "apt-get will happily do without the bother" means that apt-get won't > automatically remove packages which are really are unused. In those days, > I found some cases where four versions of a library were installed of which > three really were unneeded. (Whether this state of affairs requires > correction is generally a matter of opinion. In my opinion, it did.) > > To 'tidy' such a system requires either > > * knowing a priori which packages can be purged; > > * trial and error at simulating package removal while noting which > (otherwise desirable or necessary) packages might also be removed; or > > * using some tool which shows the dependencies of packages you want, > and removing anything which doesn't appear in these lists. > [snip] Currently I just do "wajig purge-orphans" occasionally, which seems to do the job reliably and safely so far as I can see. Anthony -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] || http://www.acampbell.org.uk for using Linux GNU/Debian || blog, book reviews, electronic Windows-free zone || books and skeptical articles -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
