tracking a specific deb

[Michael Paoli]

There's also the approach of including non-free in sources.list, but also
do install vrms (the Virtual Richard M. Stallman).  That may not make it as
easy to avoid accidentally/unintentionally installing anything from
non-free, but it does provide periodic reminders about what from
non-free has been installed, and may also suggest alternatives.

One could also point non-free to one's own repository (files, web or
FTP server), and do some very selective mirroring (such as just the
file(s) one wishes to track, and perhaps massaging the data in some
files to only indicate as available, the package(s) one wishes to
track).

Quoting Claude Rubinson <rubinson@u.arizona.edu>:

> I was wondering if there was any way to have apt track a specific deb,
> rather than an entire repository?  Specifically: I'd prefer to not
> include the non-free repository in my sources.list.  (I've found that
> the best way to avoid non-free software is for it to be unavailable.
> Out of sight, out of mind and all that.)  However, the modem in my
> Thinkpad requires a non-free userspace driver that I've just
> discovered is available in the non-free repository.

> I've been tracking this driver manually but it would be mighty
> convenient if I could turn the task over to apt.  Is this possible?
> One possible solution might be to set up a cron task that downloads
> new versions of the driver to my local repository but I was wondering
> if there's a more direct solution.