apt yum wtf?

Lu[ifer

I'm pretty new to linux, but not completely new.
I've got fedora 2 cd's.

Here's my problem.
I install fedora (dual boot with win XP) and everything is fine (although I've read about a bug which ****s up you partition table!).

So now i have a clean simple fedora 2 installation with GNOME OpenOffice and some other bits and pieces.

What I would like to know is what is the best way to
a) keep my system up to date.
b) find and install new apps.

Let me expand on point b.
I would like to set up my system mostly for developemnt, multimedia, p2p, web and email.
Also cd/dvd ripping/burining would be nice.

Under windows XP doing this is simple. Download a few apps (mostly shareware) double-click and they're installed. Double click the desktop icon and you're away.

With Linux nothing ever seems easy. My first nightmare was trying to install mplayer (a million failed dependencies etc.).

I though Linux is supposed to be about cross-platform porability etc. It seems you have to match each package with every other package on your system to with 3 decimal places.

I've recently being reading up on apt and yum which seem to TRY and solve some of these issues but i still very much confused / frustrated.

So, what I would like to know is what is the best way to
a) keep my system up to date.
b) find and install new apps.


Imagine I've just installed fedora 2.
Now what should i do?

Install apt? configure yum?

Download eclipe rpms? Java binary installers?

Finally if anyone has any suggestions for "best of breed" applications out there i'd like to hear them.
Again, I'd like to do development, p2p, multimedia, web and email.

Well Ok, my rant is over.

p.s. I was originally going to install gentoo but when I downloaded the 2004.1 live cd my computer would not boot off of it. ah well.

nadir

why wont gentoo boot? did you try the different boot options in the gentoo handbook? like noacpi? or did you just download the wrong cd?
I dont mean to accuse you of doiing it wrong, but if you dont read the docs, you can expect stuff not to work.

if you are continuing with fedora install apt, and use aptitude to select packages for installation. Its a hand console based apt interface, making updates and all easy. I found rpm to be plagued with problems, dependancies and such, if I were you Id stay a mile away from it./

have a look here its easy
http://www.fedora.us/wiki/FedoraHOWTO

Lu[ifer

why gentoo wouldn't remains a mystery.
i did download the right CD.
and i did try all the different boot options.
half way into the boot process the computer simply reboots.
probably something to do with unsupported graphics card or something.
nvidia quadro 2.

i don't really "get" apt.
you tell it where to look (repositories).
and it tells you whats there?

whats about stuff thats not there?
programs i come across while "surfing the web".
mostly these are available as .tar.gz or .rpms

honestly, i can't believe there's not more standardization among package managers.

for example, isn't it ironic you tell me to "stay a mile away" from rpm, but to use apt i need to download and install apt-...-.rpm ?

i'm almost ready to give up with linux and go back to window$.

tomk

Go ahead so - it sounds like you're not ready for Linux.

No, I'm not kidding. IMO, Linux requires commitment, or at the very least, acknowledgement that it and Windows are VERY different. Put in the effort, and you will be rewarded.

i don't really "get" apt.
you tell it where to look (repositories).
and it tells you whats there?

whats about stuff thats not there?

Would you consider trying apt where it originated - Debian? I have yet to come across any application while "surfing the web" that is not available as a Debian package. And if you do find one, use CheckInstall

mneylon

Hi

Fedora Core2 is quite easy to install from either DVD or CD. If you want to use apt or yum to install stuff it's not complicated either.
AFAIK there are graphical frontends to apt and yum, though I tend to use the command line version.

First of all make sure you have apt installed.
At a command line type

su -

and your root pass
then type:

apt-get

If apt is installed you should see a load of output. If it isn't grab it from :
http://dag.wieers.com/packages/apt/apt-0.5.15cnc6-1.1.fc2.dag.i386.rpm

For tips and instructions on using it have a look at:
http://dag.wieers.com/home-made/apt/

dubhthach

in your terminal type

man yum

it's called RTFM, it's fairly piss easy to setup for different repositries there are a number of them out there that have all the extras (mplayer, mp3 codec, flash etc.)

RPM isn't that great of a packaging solution that's for sure, i way prefer tardists on IRIX

OfflerCrocGod

You should REALLY give Gentoo another go if your main problem is installing software in Linux, it is really easy to do in Gentoo. Which CD did you get?, I presume you got the Universal CD? - don't do that get the minimal one and build the whole system from the ground up. Don't be daunted by the prospect it's very satisfying once it's finished - the documentation is very good and guides you from the very begining. The minimal CD is only 80MB a small download - just make sure you have the documentation in front of you all the time!! ( on a second PC or printed out ). Give it another shot it's definitely worth it, if you have any problems just post them on the Gentoo forums, I always get lots of help there.

nadir

Originally posted by Lu[ifer
why gentoo wouldn't remains a mystery.
i did download the right CD.
and i did try all the different boot options.
half way into the boot process the computer simply reboots.
probably something to do with unsupported graphics card or something.
nvidia quadro 2.

I dont buy it, gentoo livecd always works. Ive tried it on ALOT of different setups, and Ive never met anyone who had a reboot problem like that, it would be more than strange if you on your first attempt, were the first person Ive come across to have a gentoo livecd prob like that.
just a guess , but ill say you need the noacpi bootflag, even though you said you tried, do it again, and tell what the output was.

honestly, i can't believe there's not more standardization among package managers.

for example, isn't it ironic you tell me to "stay a mile away" from rpm, but to use apt i need to download and install apt-...-.rpm ?

i'm almost ready to give up with linux and go back to window$.

If you pick a distribution that uses a crap package managment system, you have only one person to blame, and it aint me. by all means grab the apt source instead and learn how to install it. Or follow blacknights simple instructions or do as OfflerCrocGod and I are saying, install gentoo. It doesnt really matter, you will have a fairly decent OS, but I think basically you lack a certain motivation here. In the end of the day although I dont totally agree with the RTFM attitude dubhthach is right, if you arnt willing to put the effort in, dont use linux.

dubhthach

it's the same with any alternative OS you can't move from Windows to something else and then get pissed because it doesn't behave like you expected it to (from your windows experience). go to Fedora.us this is the original Fedora project (before merger with redhat) they have howtos plus repositries for both apt and yum.