New rpm packaging convention of 4.3 and autoupgrade in OpenSuse 13.1

[iber]

OpenSuse 13.1 (and maybe other releases) contains VirtualBox 4.2.* divided in several rpm (sub)packages as virtualbox, python-virtualbox, virtualbox-guest-kmp-desktop, virtualbox-host-kmp-desktop, virtualbox-qt ...

if one have installed the 4.2.* release from the original distribution (4.2.18) or from the community distro (​http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/Virtualizatio/openSUSE_13.1/, 4.2.20) and then tries to upgrade to 4.3.* everything seams to work as aspected. but this is not a supported upgrade in rpm sense. no provides oder obsolets entries in the all-in-one 4.3 packade gives the installer a hint to delete the old installation or inform the user about conflicts.

the trouble begins when some uncontrolled or automatic upgrade see the existing old entry and simple overwrites the new installation with old stuff. as a result /dev/vboxdru disappiers and so on.

suse 13.1 is actally heavely under development, its rather a .0 oder a beta version. i simple foregot one of the 4.2 packages to delete and than i spend a long time to underestand what was going on.

my suggestion is to place additional Provides: statements with the old naming conventions to the rpm or corresponding Obsoletes: statements. then the user will be informed and can decide what should happen.

regards i.b.

(see also ​http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/5884)