[kwlug-disc] how to list *reverse* dependencies for debian packages?

[Robert P. J. Day]

On Sun, 23 Aug 2009, L.D. Paniak wrote:

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> Go to aptitude and provisionally purge the package in question by
> pressing "_" on the package.  See what breaks. You can find broken
> packages by pressing "b".  If nothing breaks, you don't really need
> the package.  If something important breaks, go back to the initial
> package and "install" it by pressing "+".  This will put you back
> where you began.  Just don't press "g" twice.
>
> Beware that packages have "requires", "suggests" and "recommends"
> dependencies.  Removing a package in the "requires" list breaks the
> package, but removing one from the other two does not.  You may need
> some of the "suggests" or "recommends" packages - especially if you
> have (gasp!) applications on the system that are not in the deb
> registry eg. "make install" a tarball from the web.
>
> aptitude is pretty good at recognizing packages that are not needed
> by the system any longer and will automatically recommend their
> removal at upgrade time.  Manually hunting down stray packages may
> not be worth your time.

  actually, i found a much easier way -- there's a package called
"apt-rdepends".  problem solved.

rday
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Robert P. J. Day                               Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA

        Linux Consulting, Training and Annoying Kernel Pedantry.

Web page:                                          http://crashcourse.ca
Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
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