[Bug 363750] Re: Installer removes many unrelated packages!

[Paul White]

Bug 831768 was closed 2013-04-26 so marking
this one "Fix Released" too.

** Changed in: aptitude (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Fix Released

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/363750

Title:
  Installer removes many unrelated packages!

Status in HPLIP:
  Fix Released
Status in aptitude package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released

Bug description:
  The HPLIP installer, in automatic mode, removes existing hplip and
  hpijs packages. As a side effect, the installer also removed lots of
  unrelated, but important packages. This could seriously damage the
  entire Linux installation !

  Explanation of the error: In Ubuntu 8.04, packages hplip and hpijs are
  installed as dependencies under an important parent package, called
  'ubuntu-desktop'. Although these dependencies don't have priority
  'depends' but only 'recommends', the use of flag '--assume-yes' seems
  to trigger the removal of the parent package 'ubuntu-desktop'.

  In a cascade-like fashion, dozens of other packages that are
  dependencies of the parent package are also removed. This includes
  packages like: Xorg, brasero, tomboy, f-spot, compiz, network-manager,
  tracker, mono-runtime, pulseaudio and lots of library and support
  packages related to these packages.

  The HPLIP installer gives absolutely NO on-screen indication that all
  those packages are removed. I only found out what was going on when I
  manually checked the package install log file to see why the removal
  of two packages (hplip and hpijs) was taking so long...

  Shocked, I immediately interrupted the HPLIP installer and have tried
  to reinstall all removed packages. It looks like I was quick enough,
  and don't have to restore a backup.

  Root cause of problem: IMHO, the Ubuntu install utility reacts in an
  unexpected manner on the removal of two non-mandatory dependencies of
  an important parent package. Strictly, this is not only the
  responsibility of the HPLIP team, but also of the Ubuntu team. I
  linked this bug report to their project as well.

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