Bug#71884: apt: Non-robust error handling during upgrade
Package: apt
Version: 0.3.19
Severity: normal
I just tried to do a system upgrade and had a very minor problem with one
package. That package (lynx) has relatively few packages that depend on it and
didn't really cause any problems for other software. Yet apt immediately bombed
out after the error. Repeatedly running apt got a little further each time (I'm
not sure why the ordering wasn't deterministic) but that's obviously not a
reasonable failure mode.
One package shouldn't be able to make apt completely lose. apt should continue
installing any packages whose dependencies don't directly prevent them from
being installed without the broken package.
We have to aim to build robust systems that continue to work even if parts are
broken, not fragile systems that given one broken piece just abort and refuse
to do anything.
-- System Information
Debian Release: woody
Kernel Version: Linux HSE-MTL-ppp62178.qc.sympatico.ca 2.2.17pre9 #3 SMP Mon Jul 10 10:09:07 EDT 2000 i686 unknown
Versions of the packages apt depends on:
ii libc6 2.1.3-10 GNU C Library: Shared libraries and Timezone
ii libstdc++2.10 2.95.2-14 The GNU stdc++ library
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