added allow anacron install parameter to base::cron

NEWS

+UNRELEASED (2015-03-??)
+
+    [cron] Add parameter to base::cron to allow anacron package to be
+    installed (helpful for Ubuntu systems with ubuntu-desktop
+    package). (adamhl)
+
 release/004.033 (2015-03-13)
 
     Modify the base::ssh::config::sshd define to allow the
-    specificaton of content or source.  This is required to support
-    host with special ssh requiremens like systems that use duo. (whm)
+    specification of content or source.  This is required to support
+    host with special ssh requirements like systems that use duo. (whm)
 
     Fix a missed hyphen in reference to class fragment-template in
     defense.pp. (adamhl)

manifests/cron.pp

@@ -2,20 +2,35 @@
 # be close to calendar days.  Also remove anacron, since we don't use it on
 # servers.
 
-class base::cron {
-  package { 'anacron': ensure => absent }
+# allow_install_anacron: if you want to allow the anacron package to be
+# installed along with cron, set the parameter to true. This is useful,
+# e.g., for Ubuntu as the ubuntu-desktop package depends on anacron.
+#
+# Note: setting this to true does not install the anacron package, rather
+# it simply allows it to be installed.
+#
+# Default: false.
+#
+
+class base::cron(
+  $allow_install_anacron = false
+) {
+
+  if (!$allow_install_anacron) {
+    package { 'anacron': ensure => absent }
+  }
 
   if ($::osfamily == 'Debian') {
     $crond = 'cron'
-  } 
+  }
   elsif ($::osfamily == 'RedHat') {
     $crond = 'crond'
     if ($::lsbmajdistrelease == '6') {
-      package { 
+      package {
         'cronie-noanacron': ensure => present;
         'cronie-anacron':   ensure => absent;
       }
-      
+
     }
     file { [ '/etc/cron.d/dailyjobs', '/etc/cron.d/0hourly' ]:
       ensure => absent
@@ -29,7 +44,7 @@ class base::cron {
     ensure => running,
     enable => true,
   }
-    
+
   file { '/etc/crontab':
     content => template('base/cron/crontab.erb'),
     notify  => Service[$crond],