Comment 11 for bug 122039
Revision history for this message
| FrankyT (theroarenator) wrote Re: [Gutsy] unnecessary packages in ubuntu-desktop dependencies? | #11 |
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1b1ed1a
(Get the code!)
Actually I'm thinking it's almost a non-issue, having gotten around to doing some testing. I do have a few recommendations however.
I had seen earlier in the thread, and elsewhere, that removing the ubuntu-desktop package by itself does nothing, because it is a meta-package. I had trouble getting a confirmation on that however so I tried it on a box i was rebuilding (bye bye vista!).
Removing one piece of Ubuntu-desktop prereq software (lets say xsane) does remove xsane and the ubuntu-desktop meta-package (since you no longer have all the sub-components), but DOES NOT remove any other packages referred to by Ubuntu-desktop. this is the behavior I was unclear on. Like others I was concerned that this action would remove gnome and everything else GUI oriented.
so my recommendation is to make that information more easily available. perhaps a message box or some other form of user notification that this action is not inadvertently harmful to the rest of your desktop environment.
I can see that others on the thread are complaining of bloat in the default package. I can understand that, coming from a windows background, but being a bit of a n00b, if a competent one, I do appreciate at least some of the bundling. besides, it you install ubuntu server, it's really easy to install the gui with apt-get, since you only need to call the one package
I agree with others above who have requested an install-time software/services selection tool. that way we could check/uncheck boxes to install optional packages. the one thing synaptic is bad at is suggesting a n00b what they want and need. canonical handles this by bundling common supported software, to make sure that whatever we need, it is ready to go.
so to sum up:
1) notify the user that removing xsane and ubuntu-desktop will not remove gnome or any other dependent packages.
2) give better control to advanced users over what software is installed, before it is installed, so that they can pick and choose the packages that are right for them.
Happy new years folks