Aparentemente, a versão mais recente do erlang-base (1: 18.1) não inclui o pacote virtual erlang-abi-15.b.
Se você usar aptitude para instalar o couchdb, ele será capaz de oferecer uma solução para esse problema, ou seja, fazer o downgrade do erlang para 1: 17.4. Embora você tenha que rejeitar sua primeira sugestão (que não é fazer nada).
Aqui está a saída da minha execução de sudo aptitude install couchdb :
$ sudo aptitude install couchdb
The following NEW packages will be installed:
couchdb couchdb-bin{ab} couchdb-common{a} erlang-eunit{a} erlang-os-mon{a} erlang-snmp{a} erlang-tools{a} erlang-webtool{a} erlang-xmerl{a} libmozjs185-1.0{a}
0 packages upgraded, 10 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 8,256 kB of archives. After unpacking 22.1 MB will be used.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
couchdb-bin : Depends: erlang-abi-15.b which is a virtual package.
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:
Keep the following packages at their current version:
1) couchdb [Not Installed]
2) couchdb-bin [Not Installed]
Accept this solution? [Y/n/q/?] n
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:
Install the following packages:
1) erlang-eunit [1:17.4 ()]
2) erlang-os-mon [1:17.4 ()]
3) erlang-snmp [1:17.4 ()]
4) erlang-tools [1:17.4 ()]
5) erlang-webtool [1:17.4 ()]
6) erlang-xmerl [1:17.4 ()]
Downgrade the following packages:
7) erlang-asn1 [1:18.1 (, now) -> 1:17.4 ()]
8) erlang-base [1:18.1 (, now) -> 1:17.4 ()]
9) erlang-crypto [1:18.1 (, now) -> 1:17.4 ()]
10) erlang-inets [1:18.1 (, now) -> 1:17.4 ()]
11) erlang-mnesia [1:18.1 (, now) -> 1:17.4 ()]
12) erlang-public-key [1:18.1 (, now) -> 1:17.4 ()]
13) erlang-runtime-tools [1:18.1 (, now) -> 1:17.4 ()]
14) erlang-ssl [1:18.1 (, now) -> 1:17.4 ()]
15) erlang-syntax-tools [1:18.1 (, now) -> 1:17.4 ()]
Leave the following dependencies unresolved:
16) erlang-base recommends erlang-crypto (= 1:17.4)
Accept this solution? [Y/n/q/?] y
The following packages will be DOWNGRADED:
erlang-asn1 erlang-base erlang-crypto erlang-inets erlang-mnesia erlang-public-key erlang-runtime-tools erlang-ssl erlang-syntax-tools
The following NEW packages will be installed:
couchdb couchdb-bin{a} couchdb-common{a} erlang-eunit{a} erlang-os-mon{a} erlang-snmp{a} erlang-tools{a} erlang-webtool{a} erlang-xmerl{a} libmozjs185-1.0{a}
0 packages upgraded, 10 newly installed, 9 downgraded, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 19.1 MB of archives. After unpacking 21.5 MB will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] y
UPDATE: Eu relatei este bug para Ubuntu.