Comment 2 for bug 723911

Hi Sebastian, please accept my apologies for not providing more details on this earlier. The change in aptdaemon is needed for the deauthorization functionality in Software Center. The feature is very specific to purchased software only, and is defined in the specification here:

  https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SoftwareCenter#Deauthorizing%20your%20computer

We don't expect deauthorization to be used very often at all, but nevertheless it's an important feature to make available. The idea is that a person may want to clear his Ubuntu SSO credentials and all purchased applications from their computer, say, for when they are giving their computer to a relative or a friend. Currently, Software Center does all the steps listed above, but it needs to do one additional thing and that is to also clear the sources themselves that are related to the purchased software items.

Since Software Center can't directly modify items in the sources directories, it seems the proper place for this functionality is in aptdaemon itself. In fact, the capability needed in aptdaemon could be considered the reverse of "add_repository". This is shaping up as a simple change in reality, and quite low-risk indeed, as it will require the addition of a simple new call that Software Center can make. I've done what I think is the majority of the work in aptdaemon already in my branch (which I have just attached to this bug):

  lp:~gary-lasker/aptdaemon/remove-repository-lp723911

Basically, I created a new method called "remove_repository", and modeled it after "add_repository". However, it is much simpler than "remove_repository" in that its single purpose is to remove the specified sources file.

My plan is to finish this code today in both the Software Center and aptdaemon sides, and of course to test it thoroughly. mvo is aware that this work is happening and I am hoping that, between all of us, we can coordinate this for merging on both the software-center and aptdaemon sides for beta-2 freeze on Monday.

I hope that answers your questions adequately. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I will append more to this bug as I progress with the work today (I have at least one other bug, that has appeared recently, that I am working on as well).

Thank you, Sebastian!

Best regards,
Gary