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Re: Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache?

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On Sat 16 Dec 2023 at 12:50:51 (-0500), Stefan Monnier wrote:
> David Wright [2023-12-16 11:30:01] wrote:
> > On Sat 16 Dec 2023 at 10:59:48 (-0500), Stefan Monnier wrote:
> >> AFAICT, all of `/var/lib/apt/lists` is made of files fetched from
> >> repositories, which APT will re-fetch if missing.
> >> So, it sounds to me like it belongs in `/var/cache/apt/lists`, really.
> >> What am I missing?  Or is it just a historical accident?
> >
> > This may not answer your question, but when you fetch new lists,
> > they aren't the same as what was there before, and don't actually
> > match your system until you upgrade it.
> 
> AFAIK those lists aren't supposed to "match your system", are they?
> IIUC they just keep a local copy of the repository's list.

Whether it's considered necessary or desirable depends on the
user and what they use the lists for (apart from the obvious).

> Admittedly if I `apt update` today, and then a week from now I delete
> the lists and do `apt update` again I won't get the same files.
> But similar, if I delete one of the files in
> `/var/cache/apt/archive`, there's no guarantee that I'll be able to
> re-download this exact file next week (tho I guess
> https://snapshot.debian.org/ might still make it possible if you want it
> badly enough).

Some packages will stay the same for years, but in the past week
I can see four occasions when changes in list contents have occurred
on oldstable. So there's little similarity.

Cheers,
David.

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Thread

Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache? Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2023-12-16 17:10 +0100
  Re: Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache? David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2023-12-16 18:40 +0100
    Re: Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache? Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2023-12-16 19:00 +0100
      Re: Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache? David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2023-12-17 06:20 +0100
        Re: Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache? Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2023-12-17 07:10 +0100
          Re: Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache? David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2023-12-17 19:40 +0100
            Re: Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache? Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2023-12-17 21:40 +0100
              Re: Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache? David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2023-12-18 01:50 +0100
                Re: Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache? Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2023-12-18 05:10 +0100
  Re: Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache? Max Nikulin <manikulin@gmail.com> - 2023-12-17 03:20 +0100
    Re: Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache? Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2023-12-17 06:10 +0100
  Re: Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache? Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2023-12-18 15:10 +0100
    Re: Why is /var/lib/apt/lists not in /var/cache? <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2023-12-18 15:40 +0100

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