Is it possible in apt/apt-get to install a package and only some of its recommendations?
For example: I want to install kde-plasma-desktop which recommends sddm, but I don't want to install sddm. What I do want is to install the rest of the recommended packages.
Is there any way of doing this with apt?
You could try appending a dash to the end of the package you don't want installed, as in apt-get install kde-plasma-desktop sddm-. From man apt-get:
If a hyphen is appended to the package name (with no intervening space), the identified package will be removed if it is installed. Similarly a plus sign can be used to designate a package to install. These latter features may be used to override decisions made by apt-get's conflict resolution system.
