How can I know how/why a specific package repository was added on my machine?

Louis

12/9/23, 2:12 PM

On my machine for work, I went in /etc/apt/sources.list.d, which if I understand correctly contains custom repositories for packages,

[myself:/etc/apt/sources.list.d] $ ls

docker.list, and other docker-related repositories
chrome
openjdk
yarn
bluetooth
...
armagetronad-dev-ubuntu-ppa-eoan.list
armagetronad-dev-ubuntu-ppa-eoan.list.save

Seems these last two are about a game but I have no idea how it ended up there (my best guess, we have Steam installed for AmongUs (team building) and I misclicked to install something else 2y ago). Is there an easy way to somehow retrace how a package repository was installed, like a dependency tree of any kind? It's embarrassing because it makes colleagues talk so I'm curious to investigate this. Thanks!

1 + 1

package-management

apt

repository

Organic Marble

12/9/23, 5:57 PM

You can try `history | grep amarge` but that doesn't go back very far. Most likely you installed the game.

Score:1

Ubuntu

user535733

12/9/23, 5:56 PM

Let's put that ppa name (armagetronad-dev-ubuntu-ppa-eoan) into a convenient Search Engine and see the results.

That leads us to the PPA's corresponding Project page on Launchpad: https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/armagetronad

And the description of the PPA, which tells you the purpose of adding the source: It's a game.

Multiplayer lightcycle game. You ride a lightcycle, which leaves a trail of pure energy behind it. Crashing into your own trail or that of another player is quite fatal. Battle with others for simple kills, for survival, or for territorial dominance in the Sumo and Fortress modes.

If we look at the corresponding PPA page https://launchpad.net/~armagetronad-dev/+archive/ubuntu/ppa), we can see the packages provided by that PPA. Now you know what packages to look for.

Also, revisit the PPA name: armagetronad-dev-ubuntu-ppa-eoan. 'eoan' refers to Ubuntu 19.10, which gives you an idea of when this software was added to your system. Since PPAs change with each release of Ubuntu, whoever installed the game has not updated it's packages for several years...if those packages are still installed at all.

+ 0

Elon Musk

I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

EN: How can I know how/why a specific package repository was added on my machine?

Post an answer

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