[Pkg-virtualbox-devel] Bug#456989: virtualbox-ose-source: Please change dependency on -ose-modules back to Recommends

[Frans Pop]

On Tuesday 18 December 2007, Daniel Baumann wrote:
> if you are wondering, why are you submitting a bug report rather than
> asking on the mailinglist?

Because I think I gave good arguments for a reversal but wanted to give the 
opportunity to explain the reasons in case I'd missed something.

> once you start doing things manually (by neither using m-a nor
> l-m-e-2.6), you should also manually fulfil the depends (equis)

That is a rather gross mis-characterization of building out-of-tree modules. 
I'd hold the standpoint that _manually_ building out-of-tree modules is the 
*normal* case and that _providing_ them pre-packaged is a service.
The use of a tool like module-assistant to build out-of-tree modules is 
*optional*.

> > Please consider reverting. Recommends should be enough in practice now
> > that apt/aptitude install recommends by default.
>
> virtualbox needs the module, it is useless and doesn't work without it.
> that's why it is a depends.

But there are completely valid other ways to create/provide a module than 
through a package. The packaging system has never been intended to force 
users to a certain way of doing things.

As I explained, a Recommends should do _exactly_ what you want: install the 
package by default for most users, but allow users who build the module 
themselves to do without a package.

IMO the old relationship was correct and sufficient; the new one is too 
tight.
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