fam tries to remove ubuntu-desktop

[Matt Galvin]

When trying to install fam it tries to remove ubuntu-desktop (and everything else associated with it).

--- snip ---
sudo apt-get install fam
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Recommended packages:
  portmap
The following packages will be REMOVED
  alacarte bug-buddy contact-lookup-applet deskbar-applet ekiga eog
  epiphany-browser epiphany-extensions evince evolution evolution-data-server
  evolution-exchange evolution-plugins evolution-webcal file-roller
  firefox-gnome-support gamin gcalctool gconf-editor gedit glade-gnome
  gnome-about gnome-app-install gnome-applets gnome-btdownload
  gnome-control-center gnome-cups-manager gnome-games gnome-media gnome-menus
  gnome-netstatus-applet gnome-panel gnome-pilot gnome-pilot-conduits
  gnome-power-manager gnome-screensaver gnome-session gnome-spell
  gnome-system-monitor gnome-system-tools gnome-terminal gnome-utils
  gnome-volume-manager gnopernicus gok gstreamer0.10-gnomevfs gthumb
  gtkhtml3.8 gucharmap hal-device-manager hwdb-client libbonoboui2-0
  libebook1.2-5 libecal1.2-3 libedata-book1.2-2 libedata-cal1.2-1
  libedataserverui1.2-6 libeel2-2 libexchange-storage1.2-1
  libgail-gnome-module libgamin0 libgdl-1-0 libgdl-1-common libgnome-desktop-2
  libgnome-menu2 libgnome2-0 libgnome2-perl libgnome2-vfs-perl libgnome2.0-cil
  libgnomecupsui1.0-1c2a libgnomeui-0 libgnomevfs2-0 libgnomevfs2-bin
  libgnomevfs2-extra libgtkhtml3.8-15 libgucharmap4 liblpint-bonobo0
  libnautilus-extension1 libpanel-applet2-0 libtotem-plparser1 nautilus
  nautilus-cd-burner nautilus-sendto netspeed openoffice.org-gnome
  python-gmenu python-gnome2 python-gnome2-desktop python-gnome2-extras
  python2.4-gnome2 python2.4-gnome2-desktop python2.4-gnome2-extras rhythmbox
  serpentine service-discovery-applet sound-juicer tomboy totem
  totem-gstreamer totem-gstreamer-firefox-plugin tsclient ubuntu-desktop
  update-notifier vino xchat-gnome yelp
The following NEW packages will be installed
  fam
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 106 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 74.3kB of archives.
After unpacking 256MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? n
Abort.
--- snip ---

[Barry deFreese (bddebian)]

I can confirm this on an up-to-date Dapper install. Quite scary actually.

[sam tygier (samtygier)]

this would be because gamin conflicts with fam.

any reason to need fam over gamin?

[Dennis Kaarsemaker (dennis)]

 status Rejected

Ubuntu uses gamin instead of fam

[Matt Galvin (mgalvin)]

Yes, I know. But that does not mean that someone will not try to install fam. I ran into this issue becuase a co-worker tried to install fam. fam then wanted to remove ubuntu-desktop. It is certainly possible that this situation could happen again in the next 5 years causing headaches. If fam is not to be used it should be removed from the repository. If users are allowed to use it... it should be fixed so that it can be installed without breaking the rest of the system.

[GPLed (sunnysachanandani)]

yes there should be some mechanism to prevent ubuntu-desktop from being uninstalled.

[sam tygier (samtygier)]

are there any reasons people might still want fam?

maybe there are server or embedded folk that want fam, and dont need any gtk apps. for them it might not be good for fam to removed.

any wise comments?

[Daniel T Chen (crimsun)]

ubuntu-desktop is a convenience metapackage. fam is no longer supported (hence the component being universe), but it's available for installation. The fact that fam removes u-d is not a bug.