On Tue, 20 Jun 2000, Michael Beurskens wrote:
> Well, I read this thread (actually only part of it because people tend to
> repeat themselves) and I am quite amazed about some of the unfounded rumours
> about .RPM- and .DEB-package formats.
>
> *Both* check for dependencies. DEBs are NOT TGZs with scripts attached
> (that's SLP, used by Stampede Linux).
>
Hummmmmm no... Deb's are .tar.gz. They're made up of three component IIRC:
control, shell scripts, and tar.gz(the actuall bin)
> The main "usability features" of APT are:
>
> 1. It manages multiple sources for packages, eg. you could have a CD-ROM,
> multiple FTP-sites (stable packages, unstable packages, security updates,
> ...) and some files on your harddisk. All those packages would be in a
> ccentral database which also includes dependency-information. The tool simply
> downloads a tgz-file from the FTP-server and merges it into the local
> database. This is (AFAIK) also possible with kpackage (not sure if it works
> with remote packages, though).
>
> 2. When trying to upgrade a package it will also try to update all other
> packages which depend on it (in your Gimp 2.0 example most of Gnome would
> propably be suggested for an update too).
>
> 3. When you try to install/uninstall a package other packages depend upon
> (which cannot be fixed) you are warned (same as in RPM). There are also
> "recommended" packages as well as packages which exclude each other. (same
> as in RPM?)
>
> 4. You can run "unattended" upgrades (i.e. without having to check each
> package for an upgrade) simply from the command-line. This would check for
> "stable" updates to installed packages, which don't result in any
> dependency-problems and install them. This even works when updating the
> whole distribution.
>
> 5. dpkg itself (which is the equivalent to the "rpm"-command-line-tool) has
> several sets of "force"-switches, one of them ignoring dependencies, which
> is NOT the default! dpkg is not really that much better than rpm, it's
> mainly apt which is the "more powerful" feature.
>
> That is propably all that really matters (to the user) in the ways of
> choosing a "right" package-format. Also keep in mind that RPM is currently
> being / has recently been refreshed...
>
Other than the above I inserted, you're pretty much dead on about everything.
To define easy... that's a tough one. It depends on the perspective you're
looking from. A newbie'ss or a sys admin'ss ?
Not to be too pretentious but lets simply look at how the merriam-webster
dictionary defines easy : )
Easy Eas"y, a. Compar. Easier; superl. Easiest. OF.
aisi'e, F. ais'e, prop. p. p. of OF. aisier. See Ease,
v. t.
1. At ease; free from pain, trouble, or constraint; as:
(a) Free from pain, distress, toil, exertion, and the
like; quiet; as, the patient is easy.
(b) Free from care, responsibility, discontent, and the
like; not anxious; tranquil; as, an easy mind.
(c) Free from constraint, harshness, or formality;
unconstrained; smooth; as, easy manners; an easy
style. ``The easy vigor of a line.'' --Pope.
Interesting eh ?
Now, who's point of view are we gonna look at 'easy' from ?
--
Bryan Paxton
"How should I know if it works? That's what beta testers are for. I
only coded it."
-- Linus Torvalds.
Public key can be found at http://speedbros.org/Bryan_Paxton.asc
