I'm building a new Ubuntu 16.04 machine, including Dovecot. When I select the dovecot-core package in Synaptic, it also wants to install ntpdate. Problem: ntpdate has been replaced in Ubuntu with timedatectl. In fact, if ntpdate exists on the machine, ntpd will not work properly. See: https://help.ubuntu.com/lts/serverguide/NTP.html See: https://askubuntu.com/questions/769651/ntp-failed-to-synchronize-time See: https://ubuntu101.co.za/ubuntu/fix-ntp-on-ubuntu-16-starting-crashing/ http://www.ubuntugeek.com/install-and-configure-network-time-protocol-ntp-se rverclients-on-ubuntu-16-04-server.html . and more Indeed, I had to remove ntpdate in order to make ntpd work. I don't want to break ntpd. Now the dovecot-core package evidently requires ntpdate. I can't imagine why this dependency would exist. And I presume this dependency will prevent me from removing ntpdate after I install dovecot-core. Is the Debian package maintainer on the list? I don't know what to do. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance, Michael
On 8/17/2017, 9:57:32 AM, Michael Fox <news at mefox.org> wrote:> When I select the dovecot-core package in Synaptic, it also wants to install > ntpdate. > > Problem: ntpdate has been replaced in Ubuntu with timedatectl. In fact, if > ntpdate exists on the machine, ntpd will not work properly.So, this is obviously an Ubuntu packaging problem, so should be reported there.
On 08/17/2017 09:57 PM, Michael Fox wrote:> I'm building a new Ubuntu 16.04 machine, including Dovecot. > > When I select the dovecot-core package in Synaptic, it also wants to install > ntpdate.Install packages at the command line using apt-get. It lets you better see and understand what's going on. dovecot-core /recommends/ ntpdate. This means you can install with apt-get --no-install-recommends and the Recommends will be shown but not installed, leaving the judgement to you.> Now the dovecot-core package evidently requires ntpdate. I can't imagine > why this dependency would exist. And I presume this dependency will prevent > me from removing ntpdate after I install dovecot-core.In apt-based systems, removing a package triggers removal of any depending packages, but not "recommending" packages. Just try 'apt-get remove ntpdate'. It will prompt you, and quite likely it will say it is about to remove ntpdate and no other package. It will do what it says it is going to do, and no more.> Is the Debian package maintainer on the list?He does read the list. In either case dovecot-core in ubuntu 17.04 and in Debian stretch and jessie don't have this Recommends.> I don't know what to do. Any suggestions?Remove ntpdate, you'll be fine. For the record, the equivalent of ntpdate in terms of a non-daemon NTP client for ad-hoc use is the new sntp package in artful(U)/buster(deb)
> > So, this is obviously an Ubuntu packaging problem, so should be reported > there.I don't know where "there" is. Can you tell me where? Thanks, Michael
> > When I select the dovecot-core package in Synaptic, it also wants to > install > > ntpdate. > Install packages at the command line using apt-get. It lets you better see > and understand what's going on. > dovecot-core /recommends/ ntpdate. This means you can install with apt-get > --no-install-recommends and the Recommends will be shown but not > installed, leaving the judgement to you.Ahah! OK Thanks.> > Now the dovecot-core package evidently requires ntpdate. I can't > imagine > > why this dependency would exist. And I presume this dependency will > prevent > > me from removing ntpdate after I install dovecot-core. > In apt-based systems, removing a package triggers removal of any depending > packages, but not "recommending" packages. > Just try 'apt-get remove ntpdate'. It will prompt you, and quite likely it > will say it is about to remove ntpdate and no other package. > It will do what it says it is going to do, and no more.OK. Thanks.> > Is the Debian package maintainer on the list? > He does read the list. In either case dovecot-core in ubuntu 17.04 and in > Debian stretch and jessie don't have this Recommends. > > I don't know what to do. Any suggestions? > Remove ntpdate, you'll be fine.Great. Thanks! Michael