[Pkg-xfce-devel] Bug#795385: errors due to hddtemp dependency

[Michal Hocko]

Package: xfce4-sensors-plugin
Version: 1.2.6-1+b1
Severity: normal

Hi,
the sensors panel plugin complains about hddtemp becuase hddtemp doesn't
have access right to read from /dev/sda. It suggests making the binary
suid which I do not like, to say the least. Anyway the plugin doesn't
depend on hddtemp:
Recommends: hddtemp, lm-sensors

so I've uninstalled it. But now I am seeing a different error message
complaining that hddtemp is missing. This seems to be an intended
behavior as per NOTES in the source package:
"
This version now has optional compile-time support for libsensors3,
hddtemp and ACPI stuff. Thus, when creating packages, you have the
choice to deliver a package with all features, which then strongly
depends on all of the compiled-in features and libraries.
"

This doesn't sound very distribution friendly because it makes it all
or nothing. I am not sure what is the preferred way to fix this but
either the dependency should be strong or the compile time dependency
removed. I would be happier about the later because I do not need the
functionality myself but others might have different preferences.

For now I will run with my local build with the dependency disabled.

-- System Information:
Debian Release: stretch/sid
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (500, 'testing'), (500, 'stable')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 4.2.0-rc6 (SMP w/2 CPU cores; PREEMPT)
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Init: sysvinit (via /sbin/init)

Versions of packages xfce4-sensors-plugin depends on:
ii  libatk1.0-0          2.16.0-2
ii  libc6                2.19-19
ii  libcairo2            1.14.2-2
ii  libfontconfig1       2.11.0-6.3
ii  libfreetype6         2.5.2-4
ii  libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0   2.31.4-2
ii  libglib2.0-0         2.44.1-1.1
ii  libgtk2.0-0          2.24.28-1
ii  libnotify4           0.7.6-2
ii  libpango-1.0-0       1.36.8-3
ii  libpangocairo-1.0-0  1.36.8-3
ii  libpangoft2-1.0-0    1.36.8-3
ii  libsensors4          1:3.3.5-2
ii  libxfce4ui-1-0       4.12.1-2
ii  libxfce4util7        4.12.1-2
ii  xfce4-panel          4.12.0-3

Versions of packages xfce4-sensors-plugin recommends:
pn  hddtemp     <none>
ii  lm-sensors  1:3.3.5-2

Versions of packages xfce4-sensors-plugin suggests:
pn  xsensors  <none>

-- no debconf information

-- 
Michal Hocko