And please also note that those packages are still marked for autoremoval so you should attend to that unless you don't want them.

I'll read up first on this autoremove thing, b/c I'm a bit of an idiot in this Linux arena.
Anyway, my system is complete _and_ in perfect working order, so for now I,ll leave them where they are.

Again; thanks a million for your help!

IT WORKS!

Fantastic. Please edit the title of the thread (in the first post) and prepend [SOLVED] to help others who may encounter this issue.

Perhaps because systemd allows for socket activation, which is not possible under sysvinit. But that's just a guess.

And please also note that those packages are still marked for autoremoval so you should attend to that unless you don't want them.

The aptitude command auto-autoremoves so you may have removed a metapackage that depends on those packages. See also http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?t=104157

Why did you install the backported libpcsclite1 package anyway? It's usually best to stick to the stable versions whenever possible.

Is it possible the eid-archive package installed this libpcsclite1 package? The eid-archive I downloaded from the government website and installed it with dpkg.
I don't recall installing individual packages anyway.

Now I did try

apt install -t beowulf-backports pcscd

and it just went on without any further input:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libappstream-glib8 libaprutil1-dbd-sqlite3 libaprutil1-ldap libfwupd2 libgcab-1.0-0 libsmbios-c2 libssl1.0.2 libtss2-esys0 libtss2-udev
  libxmlb1 python3-distro-info python3-software-properties tpm2-abrmd tpm2-tools unattended-upgrades
Use 'apt autoremove' to remove them.
Suggested packages:
  systemd
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  pcscd
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 59 not upgraded.
Need to get 96,9 kB of archives.
After this operation, 206 kB of additional disk space will be used.

Then I did apt-get update and

apt-get install eid-mw eid-viewer

And IT WORKS! This is brilliant! Many thanks for helping me out.

What intrigues me however is why the system suggests installing systemd?

Why did you install the backported libpcsclite1 package anyway? It's usually best to stick to the stable versions whenever possible.

aghasee wrote:

root@portable:/etc/apt/sources.list.d# apt -s -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes pcscd
E: Command line option 's' [from -s] is not understood in combination with the other options.

Oops, sorry:

apt -s -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes install pcscd

And please use code tags when posting terminal output (as I have added to your quotes), it greatly aids readability.

EDIT: ah, I see the problem — you have the backported version of the libpcsclite1 dependency installed so you need the backported pcscd version:

# apt install -t beowulf-backports pcscd

Or try aptitude instead, that would probably offer to upgrade pcscd from beowulf-backports.

The aptitude cmd returns a bunch of items to be removed...

The following packages will be REMOVED:
  libappstream-glib8{u} libaprutil1-dbd-sqlite3{u} libaprutil1-ldap{u} libfwupd2{u} libgcab-1.0-0{u} libsmbios-c2{u} libssl1.0.2{u} 
  libtss2-esys0{u} libtss2-udev{u} libxmlb1{u} python3-distro-info{u} python3-software-properties{u} tpm2-abrmd{u} tpm2-tools{u} 
  unattended-upgrades{u} 

I hit 'no' for an answer for the moment...

root@portable:/etc/apt/sources.list.d# apt -s -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes pcscd
E: Command line option 's' [from -s] is not understood in combination with the other options.

Oops, sorry:

apt -s -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes install pcscd

And please use code tags when posting terminal output (as I have added to your quotes), it greatly aids readability.

EDIT: ah, I see the problem — you have the backported version of the libpcsclite1 dependency installed so you need the backported pcscd version:

# apt install -t beowulf-backports pcscd

Or try aptitude instead, that would probably offer to upgrade pcscd from beowulf-backports.

aghasee wrote:

eid-mw : Depends: pcscd but it is not going to be installed
eid-viewer : Depends: pcscd but it is not going to be installed

Well the package is there. What happens if you try to install it manually?

# apt install pcscd

If the error message is non-informative then debug the resolver:

apt -s -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes pcscd

This is what I get:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 pcscd : Depends: libpcsclite1 (= 1.8.24-1+devuan1) but it is not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
root@portable:/etc/apt/sources.list.d# apt -s -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes pcscd
E: Command line option 's' [from -s] is not understood in combination with the other options.
root@portable:/etc/apt/sources.list.d# apt policy libpcsclite1
libpcsclite1:
  Installed: 1.8.26-3~bpo10+1
  Candidate: 1.8.26-3~bpo10+1
  Version table:
 *** 1.8.26-3~bpo10+1 100
        100 [url]http://deb.devuan.org/merged[/url] beowulf-backports/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     1.8.24-1+devuan1 500
        500 [url]http://deb.devuan.org/merged[/url] beowulf/main amd64 Packages
     1.8.13-1+vua1 500
        500 [url]http://archive.devuan.org/merged[/url] jessie/main amd64 Packages

reformat by admin:  Please use code tags for terminal output

apt policy pcscd returns:

pcscd:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 1.8.24-1+devuan1
  Version table:
     1.8.26-3~bpo10+1 100
        100 [url]http://deb.devuan.org/merged[/url] beowulf-backports/main amd64 Packages
     1.8.24-1+devuan1 500
        500 [url]http://deb.devuan.org/merged[/url] beowulf/main amd64 Packages
     1.8.13-1+vua1 500
        500 [url]http://archive.devuan.org/merged[/url] jessie/main amd64 Packages

eid-mw : Depends: pcscd but it is not going to be installed
eid-viewer : Depends: pcscd but it is not going to be installed

Well the package is there. What happens if you try to install it manually?

# apt install pcscd

If the error message is non-informative then debug the resolver:

apt -s -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes pcscd

aghasee wrote:

 500 http://files2.eid.belgium.be/debian stretch/main amd64 Packages
     release o=FedICT,a=oldstable,n=stretch,l=FedICT,c=main,b=amd64
     origin files2.eid.belgium.be
 500 http://files.eid.belgium.be/debian stretch/main amd64 Packages
     release o=FedICT,a=oldstable,n=stretch,l=FedICT,c=main,b=amd64
     origin files.eid.belgium.be

^ So those are the dodgy third-party repositories and the reason why they've broken your box is because you've tried to use their stretch repositories rather than the buster versions. So change stretch to buster in the sources file then update the package database and try installing the packages again.

Use this to find the relevant sources file:

grep 'eid.belgium.be' /etc/apt/sources.list{,.d/*}

Thanks! Getting closer, I've only one depend to worry about. This is what I get after changing the eid.list file:

eid-mw : Depends: pcscd but it is not going to be installed
eid-viewer : Depends: pcscd but it is not going to be installed

From what I understand the Belgian gummint isn't up to spec with their pkgs...

 500 http://files2.eid.belgium.be/debian stretch/main amd64 Packages
     release o=FedICT,a=oldstable,n=stretch,l=FedICT,c=main,b=amd64
     origin files2.eid.belgium.be
 500 http://files.eid.belgium.be/debian stretch/main amd64 Packages
     release o=FedICT,a=oldstable,n=stretch,l=FedICT,c=main,b=amd64
     origin files.eid.belgium.be

^ So those are the dodgy third-party repositories and the reason why they've broken your box is because you've tried to use their stretch repositories rather than the buster versions. So change stretch to buster in the sources file then update the package database and try installing the packages again.

Use this to find the relevant sources file:

grep 'eid.belgium.be' /etc/apt/sources.list{,.d/*}

Those packages don't seem to be available in the beowulf repositories so it looks like you've broken your system already.

Can we see

apt policy

^ That will show your sources and allow us to tell you what you shouldn't have added.

apt policy returns:

Package files:
 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     release a=now
 500 [url]http://files2.eid.belgium.be/debian[/url] stretch/main amd64 Packages
     release o=FedICT,a=oldstable,n=stretch,l=FedICT,c=main,b=amd64
     origin files2.eid.belgium.be
 500 [url]http://files.eid.belgium.be/debian[/url] stretch/main amd64 Packages
     release o=FedICT,a=oldstable,n=stretch,l=FedICT,c=main,b=amd64
     origin files.eid.belgium.be
 500 [url]http://archive.devuan.org/merged[/url] jessie/main amd64 Packages
     release v=1.0,o=Devuan,a=oldoldstable,n=jessie,l=Devuan,c=main,b=amd64
     origin archive.devuan.org
 100 [url]http://deb.devuan.org/merged[/url] beowulf-backports/non-free amd64 Packages
     release v=3.0.0,o=Devuan Backports,a=stable-backports,n=beowulf-backports,l=Devuan Backports,c=non-free,b=amd64
     origin deb.devuan.org
 100 [url]http://deb.devuan.org/merged[/url] beowulf-backports/main amd64 Packages
     release v=3.0.0,o=Devuan Backports,a=stable-backports,n=beowulf-backports,l=Devuan Backports,c=main,b=amd64
     origin deb.devuan.org
 500 [url]http://deb.devuan.org/merged[/url] beowulf-updates/non-free amd64 Packages
     release v=3.0.0,o=Devuan,a=stable-updates,n=beowulf-updates,l=Devuan,c=non-free,b=amd64
     origin deb.devuan.org
 500 [url]http://deb.devuan.org/merged[/url] beowulf-updates/main amd64 Packages
     release v=3.0.0,o=Devuan,a=stable-updates,n=beowulf-updates,l=Devuan,c=main,b=amd64
     origin deb.devuan.org
 500 [url]http://deb.devuan.org/merged[/url] beowulf-security/non-free amd64 Packages
     release v=3.0.0,o=Devuan,a=stable-security,n=beowulf-security,l=Devuan-Security,c=non-free,b=amd64
     origin deb.devuan.org
 500 [url]http://deb.devuan.org/merged[/url] beowulf-security/main amd64 Packages
     release v=3.0.0,o=Devuan,a=stable-security,n=beowulf-security,l=Devuan-Security,c=main,b=amd64
     origin deb.devuan.org
 500 [url]http://deb.devuan.org/merged[/url] beowulf/non-free amd64 Packages
     release v=3.0,o=Devuan,a=stable,n=beowulf,l=Devuan,c=non-free,b=amd64
     origin deb.devuan.org
 500 [url]http://deb.devuan.org/merged[/url] beowulf/main amd64 Packages
     release v=3.0,o=Devuan,a=stable,n=beowulf,l=Devuan,c=main,b=amd64
     origin deb.devuan.org
Pinned packages:

Returns:

eid-viewer:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 4.4.27v4.4.27-0deb9-1
  Version table:
     4.4.27v4.4.27-0deb9-1 500
        500 [url]http://files.eid.belgium.be/debian[/url] stretch/main amd64 Packages
        500 [url]http://files2.eid.belgium.be/debian[/url] stretch/main amd64 Packages
N: Unable to locate package eid-mv

I forgot to mention the package eid-archive installs fine, iirc this installs the keyring for the eid-related stuff.

Can we see

apt policy

^ That will show your sources and allow us to tell you what you shouldn't have added.

And this will show the source from which your system is attempting to install the eid- packages:

apt policy eid-{mv,viewer}

New to Devuan, coming from Debian on other hardware.
Did a clean install, set up Gnome DE (yes, for some reason I like it), purged xfce4.
The whole shebang runs like a charm. Many thanks to all devs and contributors.

However the two pkgs in subject fail to install. Terminal returns:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
eid-mw : Depends: pcscd but it is not going to be installed
eid-viewer : Depends: libcurl3 (>= 7.16.2) but it is not going to be installed
              Depends: pcscd but it is not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

I have tried following every possible instruction online to no avail. Compiling, the works. There's always missing dependencies somewhere.
The thng is, I do not want to mess up my system as it is now, because it's just right.

Maybe someone can push me in the right direction?

Thanks in advance.