[Hackage] #168: Behaviour of cabal-install with respect to upgradeable packages is unexpected

[Hackage]

#168: Behaviour of cabal-install with respect to upgradeable packages is
unexpected
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  Reporter:  guest               |        Owner:                
      Type:  enhancement         |       Status:  closed        
  Priority:  normal              |    Milestone:                
 Component:  cabal-install tool  |      Version:  1.2.0         
  Severity:  normal              |   Resolution:  duplicate     
  Keywords:                      |   Difficulty:  hard (< 1 day)
Ghcversion:  6.4.2               |     Platform:  Linux         
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Changes (by ijones):

  * status:  new => closed
  * resolution:  => duplicate

Old description:

> When an old version of a package is already installed, running cabal-
> install to install it should install the latest available version of the
> package, rather than complaining that the package is already installed.
> (Or at least interactively provide the option to do so.)
>
> Having it simply abort without doing anything is strange because in the
> most common case a user tries to install a package because they need it
> and do not already have it. If the package is already installed, that
> probably means that they do not have a recent enough version of the
> package.
>
> It would also make cabal-install more apt-like, which is probably a good
> thing, considering the obvious inspiration.

New description:

 Note: Consolidating this ticket and others to #198.  Please watch that
 ticket for further developments.

 When an old version of a package is already installed, running cabal-
 install to install it should install the latest available version of the
 package, rather than complaining that the package is already installed.
 (Or at least interactively provide the option to do so.)

 Having it simply abort without doing anything is strange because in the
 most common case a user tries to install a package because they need it
 and do not already have it. If the package is already installed, that
 probably means that they do not have a recent enough version of the
 package.

 It would also make cabal-install more apt-like, which is probably a good
 thing, considering the obvious inspiration.

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://hackage.haskell.org/trac/hackage/ticket/168#comment:2>
Hackage <http://haskell.org/cabal/>
Hackage: Cabal and related projects