Yast Online Update (YOU) has an update “Optional update for desktop-fonts” version 20150918-12.1.
This “update” wants to install “flashplayer” from Packman and 50+ “32bit” support packages for it onto
my 64 bit system. Flashplayer was NOT previously installed, so why should an “update” force its
installation?
Using Software Management to “taboo” “flashplayer” before allowing YOU to install the font “update”
prevents “flashplayer” and its additional 50+ 32bit support packages from being installed.
Then just the un-requested “google-roboto-fonts” package is installed as part of the “update”.
The issue is that an “update” should not force the installation of Applications that are NOT
already installed.
there is an option in Yast to disable recommended packages, if you have the packman repo flash-player (both regular and pepper) are recommended so check Ignore recommended packages for already installed packages in Yast options.
The update did not install anything other than the fonts and supporting packages.
Flash was installed, because it is recommended by other software on your system.
In my experience, it has long been the case that after install, more software will be added when you next install anything. It then installs all of the recommended packages that were not on the install DVD (or other medium).
Some folk don’t like this. They prefer a minimalistic system where nothing is installed beyond what is required. It’s my impression that Ubuntu is rather minimalist in that sense.
Personally, I rather like the opensuse approach. It installs additional software that I might want. With Ubuntu, I would have to install that myself when I find that I need it. With opensuse, it is often there already. But I suppose that this is a matter of personal preference.
As I_A indicated, you can turn off the automatic install of recommended packages, if that is your preference. But I think that preference setting only applies to Yast. If you use “zypper” at the command line, you will need to disable recommends as a command line option.