MX Linux Forum

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 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
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?

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.

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?

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

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"

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.

LinuxSpring1 wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2024 6:28 am 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 :)

LinuxSpring1 wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2024 6:28 am Can we say that the meta package mx-apps-kde includes ddm-mx?

nosoynadie has already said this:

nosoynadie wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2024 5:19 am 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.

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.

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

Thanks @nosoynadie, @dolphin_oracle, @DukeComposed, @asqwerth.

asqwerth wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2024 7:40 am 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.

@asqwerth is the meta package for XFCe, mx-apps? This is just for my information.

Stevo wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2024 1:19 pm If you're just trying to free up space, there are bigger fish to fry than those.

Partly that and partly trying to reduce the surface area of the distribution. I like to keep the Linux environment lean and clean as far as possible.

LinuxSpring1 wrote: Wed Aug 28, 2024 2:18 am
@asqwerth is the meta package for XFCe, mx-apps? This is just for my information.

yes