Druid wrote: > On Dec 22, 2007 9:43 AM, Hylton Conacher (ZR1HPC) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Hi, >> >> This has been bothering me for a long time as I am battling to >> understand the usage of software repositories. I haven't been able to >> find a reference in the fine manual of 10.2 that describes this , hence >> my question. >> >> I realise that the repositories are used for updates but why has some of >> my software not been updated? I am also not expecting to get an update >> from 10.2 to 10.3 but I would expect updates for the applications I use >> on 10.2. > > Not exactly. It works more or less like this: the main repository of > each release is frozen. It will not change versions. It was tested and > it will remains with this versions forever. They dont upgrade (people > say upgrade like goin from version 2.4 to 2.6), but there is a > repository called update for each release that has updates, being > updates small changes (like from 2.4.6-32a to 2.4.6-32b). Updates are > small changes, and they are made only for security and some bugfixing > purpose.
OK, like those I have already downloaded and installed. > Thats the way it works, it wont get updated. Thats the whole purpose > of testing and stabilising a release: you integrate, test and release > those exact versions. Thats the right-way-to-do-it (TM). > > Sometimes people need some more recent software. This situation is > kinda rare, most of time people want to upgrade with no reason (its a > disease called upgraditis). For providing those extra new software, > and some software that eventually is not in the main repository, for > any reason, there are the aditional or specific repositories, like the > Build service ones. If I get that dreaded upgraditis, I am then on my own, despite it being an opensuse rpm. I am on my own because it hasn't been tested and whilst it may have new features, it may also bring along more problems. >> I would have thought that I would have had the latest stable releases as >> I have oss and non-oss repositories loaded. I have read email about... > > No, as Ive said the policy is that the main repository is frozen. OK >> ..releases for Firefox ?3?, Thunderbird ?2.5? and OO.org 2.3 and yet my >> system does not have the updated version of the software? >> > > You would need extra repositories. Or install 10.3... Some of those > stuff wont even be in 10.3, as they are more recent than the 10.3 > release. If I do download and install, I am on my own. >> If I scour the opensuse site and find stable repositories for the above >> software, should I add them? > > The reasons to upgrade are usually to fix some bug you are having or > to get new features. In other words, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' TM! >> I would assume yes as the existing ones >> have not updated the software substantially, > > You can say that, but that doesnt mean its good enough to enter the > main repository, because it wasnt tested. You are on your own risk. OK >> Let us assume, without making an ass out of u and me, that I find the >> repository for Openoffice of: >> http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/OpenOffice.org:/STABLE/openSUSE_10.2/ >> > > >> Before loading it is as a source I would load it into my browser. Here I >> see there are several sub directories. > > Its good to load it in the browser for 2 reason: i) you know its > acessible (some rare repos dont let you list it in the browser) and > ii) identify if its really a source (like you've said, to identify > where the path ends). For YUM repos, like the ones in Buildservice it > ends in the path that contains the directory repodata. > > Check http://opensuse-community.org/AddSource > >> I would need to know where to end i.e. at the parent folder >> ..openSUSE_10.2/, or the ...openSUSE_10.2/repodata/ folder, the >> ...openSUSE_10.2/i586/ folder or in the ...openSUSE_10.2/noarch folder? >> I would assume i586 but what is the difference between that and noarch? >> > > That collection of directories makes one repository. Noarch is just > the directory of the repo taht holds the packages that are the same in > any arch, for example, one containing wallpapers, themes. > >> Bear in mind that I want YAST to do all the downloading, extracting and >> correct installing i.e. I am a GUI person and know not the path to true >> light i.e. CLI, yet. But I'll cover that in another email :) >> > > Yast does that, in GUI, ncurses or command line, again check the link to > o-c.org > Tnx DRUID Hylton -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
