EASY AND BETTER WAYS TO INSTALL PROGRAMS

Packages come in two formats in Gnu/Linux

1. rpm
   packages.
2. Source
   packages.

Its not always easy and convenient
to install programs either from source or from already compiled rpm packages.

Installing with rpm is easier since they are precompiled and
they take less time but they are version and distribution specific so you may
not get .rpm files for your version of Gnu/Linux, e.g. the .rpm for Fedora Core
2 may not work for Fedora Core 3, instead source packages are the same so you
will get them everywhere.

But source packages have to be compiled your self.

Source/rpm packages generally stuck because of dependencies
on some other resources.

Thanks to the people who have developed programs and further
improving them to cope up with dependencies.

The only condition prerequisite to run these programs is to
have internet connection at your terminal.

Again these programs are distribution specific.

DISTRO	PACKAGE-TYPE	COMMAND-LINE	Management update tools	Graphical front ends	Extra package sites
Debian	DEB	dpkg	apt-get, dselect, aptitude	synaptic	http://mentors.debian.net http://www.apt-get.org/ http://www.backports.org/
RedHat	RPM	Rpm	up2date, yum, apt-get, autorpm	Redhat-config-packages GnoRPM	http://www.freshrpms.net/ http://www.fedoralegacy.org http://dag.wieers.com/apt/
Slackware	TGZ	Installpkg	pkgtool, swaret, slackupdate, slaptget	slackman, xpkgtool	http://slackpacks.tchelinux.com.br/ http://slackpack.tripleg.net.au/ http://www.linuxpackages.net/
SuSE	RPM	rpm	Yast2	Yast2	http://guru.unixtech.be/ http://www.usr-local-bin.org/ http://packman.links2linux.org/
Mandrake	Check out yrself	Check out yrself	urpmi	urpmi	No idea !!!

Let us take the example of using “apt-get” here:

1.> Download
the binary packages of apt for most Red-Hat or Fedora Core Linux from http://apt.freshrpms.net/

2.> Install it
as root

#rpm –Uvh
apt-*

3.> Now update
it for having the latest repository

#apt-get update

4.> Resolve all
unsolved dependencies

#apt-get –f install

This is one time operation required
for new installs of apt.

5. Now
   it’s the time to search something to be installed. Suppose we have to
   install the chatting messenger “gaim”

#apt-cache search gaim

It will come up with the various
versions of gaim it can find in its database.

6. Time
   to install gaim

#apt-get install

gaim-the version number

7. If you
   want to remove gaim

#apt-get remove gaim

See, how easy it has become to
install “gaim” now.

The crux of this whole story is
that you don’t have to bother about the dependencies now. It’s the head-ache of
apt-get to solve up the dependencies.

Moreover apt-get can be used for
any rpm based distro.

Limitations of these programs:

Every program can’t be found in the
repositories. It too has a limited database which is getting increased and
updated regularly. You too can contribute in it.

Hence the program which is in the data base can be served to you by
these programs….others can’t be.

Bond ( bond.iips@gmail.com )