Removing of package ddm-mx causes removal of mx-apps-kde [Solved]

[LinuxSpring1]

I have a MX Linux 23.3 running Kernel 6.1.0-23-amd64 on KDE plasma. I do not have any NVidia devices on my computer. When I try to uninstall the package ddm-mx it also removes the package mx-apps-kde. Please see the screenshot given below for more details

Screenshot_RemovalImpactOf_ddm-mx_package.jpg

But in the package information for ddm-mx the package mx-apps-kde is not listed as one of the dependencies. Please see the screenshot given below for more details for the dependencies

Screenshot_ddm-mx_Dependencies.jpg

How can I remove/purge the package ddm-mx but without removing the package mx-apps-kde? I am using MX Package Installer for this. Also why is there this dependency?

[nosoynadie]

Hi
It's the other way around, ddm-mx is a dependency of mx-apps-kde.
Uninstalling mx-apps-kde is not a problem, it's just a "metapackage"
With mx-apps-kde the MX developers decide what software you have installed. If you want to decide that, that package is enough for you.

[LinuxSpring1]

What will be the impact of removing mx-apps-kde? Will it impact any future upgrades? What functionality will be lost if this package is not there?

Also why is the meta package mx-apps-kde, dependent on the command line interface application for installing nvidia drivers, i.e. ddm-mx?

[nosoynadie]

Hi
A metapackage does not install programs or files directly, it installs packages. It is a list of packages to install
You could create the "LinuxSpring1" metapackage to install your favorite programs at once.
You will not lose any functionality, by uninstalling mx-apps-kde you limit the developers' ability to decide what software you have installed.
The developers want ddm-mx to be installed, it may be useful for some users, and they include it in the mx-apps-kde package listing

[LinuxSpring1]

So there is no way to keep mx-apps-kde but purge/remove ddm-mx.

Can we say that the meta package mx-apps-kde includes ddm-mx? And also can you please elaborate more on the following ?

"you limit the developers ability to decide what software you have installed"

[dolphin_oracle]

the only impact is if we make a new mx tool that applies to kde then you wouldn’t get it automatically. It would still be available in the repo for manual install.

[nosoynadie]

So there is no way to keep mx-apps-kde but purge/remove ddm-mx.

Can we say that the meta package mx-apps-kde includes ddm-mx? And also can you please elaborate more on the following ?

"you limit the developers ability to decide what software you have installed"

a meta-package is a "package" (list) of packages.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MetaPackages

the culprit is dolphin_oracle :)

[DukeComposed]

Can we say that the meta package mx-apps-kde includes ddm-mx?

nosoynadie has already said this:

It's the other way around, ddm-mx is a dependency of mx-apps-kde.

Dependencies work from the top down. So if package A depends on package B, and B depends on C, then A depends on C even if you open up A to inspect it and it doesn't explicitly say "I need C". This is why many distributions have a "bootstrap" metapackage that contains all of the packages needed to get a working system. Installing the OS is often a matter of installing the bootstrap metapackage, pulling in all of its dependencies, and then often removing the metapackage as a final cleanup step. Void Linux works this way. I've never investigated what mx-system does, but I suspect it serves a similar purpose.

[asqwerth]

As dolphin stated, the mx-apps-kde metapackage is a convenient way to make sure that new MX packages added to the system gets pulled into MX-KDE [there is an equivalent metapackage for MX XFCE]. Other posters above have already explained why metapackages are useful in general.

For new mx packages, because it previously did not exist at all - not on your system nor even in the repos - it won't get added to your system when you UPDATE your system.

So the devs create a metapackage that exists in the MX system, that contains nothing in itself except a list of other packages it depends on. When a new MX tool or package is created, MX devs push an update to the mx-apps-kde metapackage, where the new MX app is added as a new dependency to said metapackage. When you install updates, the metapackage gets updated, pulling in the new MX app as a dependency.

If you don't care about not getting new MX packages or tools that are created, you can remove the metapackage.

[Stevo]

If you're just trying to free up space, there are bigger fish to fry than those.