Seems your are right. That will require a update of base-files for byzantium.

root@i5:/# apt-cache show nuitka
Package: nuitka
Version: 0.6.11.3+ds-1.2
Installed-Size: 8434
Maintainer: Kay Hayen <kay.hayen@gmail.com>
Architecture: all
Depends: gcc (>= 5.0) | g++ (>= 4.4) | clang (>= 3.0), scons (>= 2.0.0), python3-appdirs | base-files (<< 7.2), python3-dev, base-files (>= 11), python3:any (>= 3.3~)
Recommends: python3-lxml, strace, chrpath, ccache
Description: Python compiler with full language support and CPython compatibility
Description-md5: 412e6fd44db6ad445c3e524883dc5f94
Homepage: https://nuitka.net
Section: python
Priority: optional
Filename: pool/main/n/nuitka/nuitka_0.6.11.3+ds-1.2_all.deb
Size: 1004164
SHA256: 86b1f86901f9ebed5f6f9a8de77a9f0252f6e207fd2ca4a41ca9f21b3745d940

The most recent version 0.6.17.4 currently hasn't this dependency but for 0.6.11.3 this was set.

@jeremiah.foster @mak @guido @jonas.smedegaard
Do you agree on a required update off base-files?

which version of nuitka has such tight dependency on base-files, and why?

Ah, I see it now: the older version mentioned by Carsten is the one currently in PureOS Byzantium.

Changing base-files is a task for @mak, I guess.

Simpler might be to backport a newer nuitka form Debian when it has stabilized enough to enter testing. Seems nuitka in Debian maintenance in Debian is extremely silent about changes, so I have no idea if it would be problematic to backport, though.

@carsten.schoenert I think we want base-files 11.1+debu11u1 + pureos changs, yes but @mak should confirm. What puzzles me is that it doesn't show up at https://master.pureos.net/sync/landing

@guido Your assumption about the version we want is correct, I haven't looked at the current version within Debian yesterday. Due this I was also not wondering about the not visible new Debian version on the synchronization dashboard, seems there is a issue on not detecting the higher version in Debian, Matthias will be the only person I guess which can demystify this.

@jonas.smedegaard I think we should update base-files and can rethink a backport of a newer nuitka package if this is a gain for the users of PureOS due an increased feature set in a newer version. I haven't used that package yet, so I haven't a strong opinion here.

I have not been able to use nuitka at all because the only version available in byzantium depends on a too-new version of base-files.

Strange that a later version of nuitka does not have a Depends on base-files at all! Well spotted @carsten.schoenert. I It does have lots of Build-Depends on either base-files >= 11 or various specific versions of other modules, but the later nuitka states that these are only Build-Depends and that the built version does not need them.

How long before the later version of nuitka would naturally come into byzantium?

For information, I would like to try nuitka but my need is not urgent. I do not currently use it.

@mak
If time permits please have a look into updating base-files.

this issue may be obsolete because base-files on byzantium is now at 11.1pureos1, which satisfies the "Depends:" of nuitka.

at the very least, nuitka now installs on byzantium without me needing to break some other package(s). i have not yet checked if it does anything useful.

[note: i am using the "Add Action ..." option even though i just want to add a comment because there is no "add comment" option. i find this bug tracker very confusing.]