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Can't I Just Click on Something? Debian package management from the perspective of a total newbie

Posted by capnkirby on · 2 comments
www.capnkirby.com; By Roger A. Jacobson 		Mail this story
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Just about any distro these days installs nicely to the hard drive. What can sometimes happen is that the system breaks when packages are added to the collection which the distro provides by default. And when packages are removed from the provided collection, no-longer-necessary «helper» programs may be left behind, or «orphaned». Work-arounds include sticking with packages which the distro itself supplies in its repository. In the world of Debian, some distros may «tweak» purely-Debian packages to fit better with the overall distro. It is in this context that the question presents itself: is the Debian «Aptitude» tool something which a Debian-based distro might want to use when it builds its version on the shop floor? And might even a certain type of newbie want eventually to «graduate» to Debian in a more nearly perfectly «pure» form and use Aptitude like this? Has Aptitude not been widely discussed because it's not yet in widespread use? ‑‑ This essay seeks to raise these questions from the perspective of a total newbie.

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Comments (2)

jimf ·
While I know a number of people who actually like aptitude, Synaptic is a far more capable, configurable and user friendly app, regardless of whether or not you're a noob. I also don't understand the 'keeping aptitude a secret' thing. Aptitude is the interface used in the text install for both stable, and testing. It's included in every basic install.
helios ·
The first paragraph of this "article" presupposes a set of circumstances/environments that are extremely rare in any Linux Distro I have used in the past two years. He is basing his entire article on what many could perceive as untruths. CIP:

"What can sometimes happen is that the system breaks when packages are added to the collection which the distro provides by default. And when packages are removed from the provided collection, no-longer-necessary «helper» programs may be left behind, or «orphaned..."

What? Oh, he is talking about Microsoft Windows...I KNEW he couldn't be talking about a Linux Distro coded in the 2000 year-set.

OK boys and girls...I'm off to scream at a few choice Senators and Congressman. Wish me luck or stand by to post my bail...either one will do.

h

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