So, what's the deal with Package Managers?

hackapelite · 05-10-2008, 10:45 AM

If I've understood this correctly, Package Manager is what handles all software/whatnot installations in Linux. There also are different package managers (Debian, RPM and whatnot)... does this mean that some linux programs are incompatible with some other distros, or is it possible to install additioinal package managers... or what to do if a program doesn't come in the package manager format I should have for my current distro? Someone lighten things up for me, please... TY beforehand!

patrickv · 05-10-2008, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hackapelite

If I've understood this correctly, Package Manager is what handles all software/whatnot installations in Linux. There also are different package managers (Debian, RPM and whatnot)... does this mean that some linux programs are incompatible with some other distros, o

not that they are not compatible, it's that linux has different platforms, some as derived from debian making them DEBS and some are from red-hat, making them RPM (red-hat package manager).

Quote:

or is it possible to install additioinal package managers

yes you sure can, take suse, suse uses smart, yast or even zen

Quote:

what to do if a program doesn't come in the package manager format I should have for my current distro? Someone lighten things up for me, please... TY beforehand!

nah, not that, programs vary according to your desktop. be it Gnome or KDE or XFCE. gnome has its own set of programs and so does KDE,but they work side by side.
like Amarok, amarok is for KDE, but you can install it on Gnome, see there's no format needed.

cheers hope it helps

hackapelite · 05-11-2008, 12:07 AM

Okay, now the package manager question got cleared up. And now I'm all lost in this other stuff... like what's the actual difference between programs made for different platforms? And how does this "programs vary according to your desktop" thing work... I don't need any special tricks to run ... "GNOME programs" on, ay, ubuntu, Do I? And there's no compatibility issues or whatnot is there?

(yes I'm a hopeless Linux-noob...)

patrickv · 05-11-2008, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hackapelite

Okay, now the package manager question got cleared up. And now I'm all lost in this other stuff... like what's the actual difference between programs made for different platforms? And how does this "programs vary according to your desktop" thing work... I don't need any special tricks to run ... "GNOME programs" on, ay, ubuntu, Do I? And there's no compatibility issues or whatnot is there?

(yes I'm a hopeless Linux-noob...)

nah you're fine, they will work, often when it doesn't the program will even tell you what is missing to make it work (those are dependencies) but they are resolve automatically

hackapelite · 05-11-2008, 10:40 AM

*sigh of relief*
Ok, thanks.

jw214 · 05-11-2008, 11:09 PM

www.northernjourney.com/opensource/newbies/ - if this link doesnt work,type it in your browser. i am a linux newbie as well and i found this page helpful. it was referred to me off this forum. so far from the stuff i have read it seems to me that you just have to start somewhere and venture forward.

tlarkin · 05-12-2008, 02:17 AM

If there is not a prebuilt package for your distro of Linux you can always download the source and compile one yourself.

Ubuntu uses APT and DEBS to download and install. APT being more robust since it will automatically resolve any needed repositories.

It only takes one command to do it as well. You may need to add URLs to your repository list though. All of this can be found on the ubuntu forums with detailed instructions.

05-10-2008, 10:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
hackapelite Platinum Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Solicitor's office Posts: 953	So, what's the deal with Package Managers? If I've understood this correctly, Package Manager is what handles all software/whatnot installations in Linux. There also are different package managers (Debian, RPM and whatnot)... does this mean that some linux programs are incompatible with some other distros, or is it possible to install additioinal package managers... or what to do if a program doesn't come in the package manager format I should have for my current distro? Someone lighten things up for me, please... TY beforehand! __________________ BY READING THE ABOVE POST, YOU AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING: "The above post is provided solely for entertainment purposes and is not to be taken as professional advice. Therefore, I shall not be held responsible for any damage or losses that are result from anything I have posted, to the extent applicable by law. In the unlikely event that I CAN be held responsible, I have never been here, I am not here, and I will never be here, and it will be highly questionable whether I even exist."

05-11-2008, 12:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
hackapelite Platinum Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Solicitor's office Posts: 953	Okay, now the package manager question got cleared up. And now I'm all lost in this other stuff... like what's the actual difference between programs made for different platforms? And how does this "programs vary according to your desktop" thing work... I don't need any special tricks to run ... "GNOME programs" on, ay, ubuntu, Do I? And there's no compatibility issues or whatnot is there? (yes I'm a hopeless Linux-noob...) __________________ BY READING THE ABOVE POST, YOU AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING: "The above post is provided solely for entertainment purposes and is not to be taken as professional advice. Therefore, I shall not be held responsible for any damage or losses that are result from anything I have posted, to the extent applicable by law. In the unlikely event that I CAN be held responsible, I have never been here, I am not here, and I will never be here, and it will be highly questionable whether I even exist."

05-11-2008, 10:40 AM	#5 (permalink)
hackapelite Platinum Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Solicitor's office Posts: 953	sigh of relief Ok, thanks. __________________ BY READING THE ABOVE POST, YOU AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING: "The above post is provided solely for entertainment purposes and is not to be taken as professional advice. Therefore, I shall not be held responsible for any damage or losses that are result from anything I have posted, to the extent applicable by law. In the unlikely event that I CAN be held responsible, I have never been here, I am not here, and I will never be here, and it will be highly questionable whether I even exist."

05-11-2008, 11:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
jw214 Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 67	www.northernjourney.com/opensource/newbies/ - if this link doesnt work,type it in your browser. i am a linux newbie as well and i found this page helpful. it was referred to me off this forum. so far from the stuff i have read it seems to me that you just have to start somewhere and venture forward. __________________ MSI K9N Diamond AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Sapphire ATI Radeon X1900XT 4GB(2x2) A-DATA DDR2 800 Seagate 500GB 32MBcache x2 Windows XP Pro SP2

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

05-12-2008, 02:17 AM	#7 (permalink)
tlarkin VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 5,942	If there is not a prebuilt package for your distro of Linux you can always download the source and compile one yourself. Ubuntu uses APT and DEBS to download and install. APT being more robust since it will automatically resolve any needed repositories. It only takes one command to do it as well. You may need to add URLs to your repository list though. All of this can be found on the ubuntu forums with detailed instructions.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Bought Desktop! Judge the Deal!	UpskirtHayley	Desktop Computers	11	03-19-2008 03:55 PM
Price check on these video cards? was it a good deal?	Frederickson	Video Cards and Monitors	1	01-28-2008 01:17 AM
Multiple domains on one hosting package.	shk	Internet Discussion	0	02-23-2007 07:33 PM
Security Freebies Package	Calibretto	Computer Security	5	12-04-2005 05:41 PM