Jessie -> Stretch leftover packages

[J. Reis]

This is just a quick check to determine if what I'm seeing is normal or if I should investigate further. Just finished my migration from 8.8 to 9.0. Everything seems to have gone well, but I noticed two, possibly related things that seem weird (my first move release to release so what do I know). 1st, apt says I've got a bunch of candidates for autoremoval after the update (there were none before). Stuff like:

• docutils-common (0.13.1+dfsg-2) ... | docutils-doc (0.13.1+dfsg-2) ... | fonts-inconsolata (001.010-5) ... | g++-4.9 (4.9.2-10) ... | gcj-4.9-jre-lib (4.9.2-10) ... | geoclue-2.0 (2.4.5-1) ... | gir1.2-vte-2.90 (1:0.36.3-1) ... | gstreamer0.10-plugins-base:amd64 (0.10.36-2) ... | hardening-includes (2.6) ... | iio-sensor-proxy (2.0-4) ... | imagemagick-common (8:6.9.7.4+dfsg-11) ... | libsoftware-license-perl (0.103012-1) ... | libdata-section-perl (0.200006-1) ...

Is this simply to be expected? that the upgrade would (performed with 'apt-get dist-upgrade') would have left a bunch of orphaned uneeded packages for apt to clean up after? Seems reasonable to me, but figured I'd better seek advice before proceeding.

Secondly (perhaps related), the instructions in the release notes advised running 'apt-forktracer | sort' to identify anything installed from outside the repos. I only had 4 things before the upgrade:

• Firefox from Debian Mozilla Team
  > I still had 'deb http://mozilla.debian.net/ jessie-backports firefox-release' in sources
  Chrome (from 'deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main' in sources).
  TeamViewer from provided with built in installation script (https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/linux/)
  Master PDF Editor from provided deb via gdebi

I got the impression I should have removed these before attempting the upgrade, but I chose to be lazy. Anyhow, after the upgrade the same search (apt-forktracer | sort) produces more than 40 results:

• libgcc-4.9-dev (4.9.2-10) | alsa-base (1.0.27+1) | libisccfg-export90 (1:9.9.5.dfsg-9+deb8u11) | libdns-export100 (1:9.9.5.dfsg-9+deb8u11) | master-pdf-editor (4.1.30) | libapt-pkg4.12 (1.0.9.8.4) | libapt-inst1.5 (1.0.9.8.4) | ruby2.1 (2.1.5-2+deb8u3) | gcc-4.8-base (4.8.4-1) | libpsl0 (0.5.1-1) | libicu52 (52.1-8+deb8u5) | gcc-4.8 (4.8.4-1) | gcc-4.9 (4.9.2-10) | liblognorm1 (1.0.1-3) | google-chrome-stable (59.0.3071.109-1) [Google, Inc.: 59.0.3071.109-1] | libtxc-dxtn-s2tc0 (0~git20131104-1.1) | gcc-4.9-base (4.9.2-10) | gcc-4.9-base (4.9.2-10) | libservlet2.5-java (6.0.45+dfsg-1~deb8u1) | libasan0 (4.8.4-1) | libasan1 (4.9.2-10) | linux-image-4.9.0-0.bpo.3-amd64 (4.9.25-1~bpo8+1) | libprocps3 (2:3.3.9-9) | libisl10 (0.12.2-2) | libgnutls-deb0-28 (3.3.8-6+deb8u6) | libgcc-4.8-dev (4.8.4-1) | libruby2.1 (2.1.5-2+deb8u3) | python-reportbug (6.6.3) | linux-headers-4.9.0-0.bpo.3-amd64 (4.9.25-1~bpo8+1) | libhogweed2 (2.7.1-5+deb8u2) | libreadline6 (6.3-8+b3) | cpp-4.8 (4.8.4-1) | cpp-4.9 (4.9.2-10) | libnettle4 (2.7.1-5+deb8u2) | libxtables10 (1.4.21-2+b1) | linux-headers-4.9.0-0.bpo.3-common (4.9.25-1~bpo8+1) | linux-compiler-gcc-4.9-x86 (4.9.25-1~bpo8+1) | libboost-iostreams1.55.0 (1.55.0+dfsg-3) | libisc-export95 (1:9.9.5.dfsg-9+deb8u11) | libjson-c2 (0.11-4) | python-support (1.0.15) | libssl1.0.0 (1.0.1t-1+deb8u6) | libtidy-0.99-0 (20091223cvs-1.4+deb8u1) | teamviewer (12.0.71510) | libirs-export91 (1:9.9.5.dfsg-9+deb8u11)

I did have some backports installed on jessie & some of these packages are clearly marked as bp. I simply don't know enough about Debian/Linux to know for sure what's going on here and whether I should be concerned about my upgrade / what I should do next (simply remove all the local/obsolete packages other than Chrome, TeamViewer, etc.). Otherwise everything seems to be working fine.

Apologies for the lengthy post … any advice truly appreciated, even if it's "read the manual dunderhead!" … assuming you point me to the appropriate manual!

JR

[J. Reis]

Ha! I think I found part of the Manual I should have read before posting (or in this case, should have understood, since I did read it). Release notes section on Obsolete packages explains the 2nd part of my question, I think.

If I'm understanding correctly this time, I can safely remove these (save the ones from outside the repos that I'm actually using of course). Please warn me if this is not the case.

Still confused about why apt-get dist-upgrade left so many packages for autoremove. I thought dist-upgrade took care of removals as part of the process.

Thanks for the support, I'm learning … if slowly!.