Comment # 1 on bug 1180058 from Jiri Slaby

(In reply to Dan ������erm������k from comment #0)
> Could the creation of this file be adjusted so that it is only created on
> upgrades and not on new installations?

Not on the kernel (spec) level, I am afraid. The kernel's %post script has no
idea whether it is a first install or update. This is due to allowance of
multiple kernels installed in parallel -- kernel is not updated (rpm -U), it is
installed (rpm -i).

So if anything, zypper could do this by deleting /boot/do_purge_kernels during
the very first purge-kernels, instead of doing the real purge.