[KLUG Members] Package Manager Problems

[Bruce Smith]

> > A couple months ago I installed Debian on a HP Unix (PA-RISC processor)
> > workstation and was very intrigued by "apt".  (I chose Debian because it
> > was the only distribution supporting PA-RISC)
> > 
> > The few times I've installed Debian, I've found the install process to
> > be somewhat, ah, well, "confusing" ...  I would very much like to see a
> 
> What did you find confusing? I have Debian running on a B132L
> workstation. It seemed pretty straight forward (though not quite
> the same as a Solaris/HPUX/Redhat install).

When I did the PA-RISC install, I downloaded the small install CD, plus
one other CD with many applications complied for PA-RISC.  I couldn't
get the installer to read the application CD no matter how I tried.  It
appeared the CD had the files in the wrong directory, but I'm not sure. 
I got it installed by having the installer download every package I
wanted, which isn't very efficient.

It's been a few releases ago (and many months or years ago) when I tried
a Debian install on Intel hardware.  I don't remember the specifics of
my problems back then, but I never did get the install to complete.  And
it seems like the XFree86 setup didn't work either.  Maybe I'll try it
again with the current Debian to see if/how it has improved.

> I am still confused why Redhat doesn't provide a up2date
> channel with newer pacakges. Offering newer revs of Mozilla,
> Evolution and Gnome would rock. 

My only guess is Redhat wants to sell CD's of their new releases.

OTOH, Ximian's red-carpet does provide updates to Evolution and other
Gnome packages for Redhat and other distributions.  Very nice, but a
pain if you try to "upgrade" from one Redhat release to a newer one.

--------------------------------------------
Bruce Smith                bruce@armintl.com
System Administrator / Network Administrator
Armstrong International, Inc.
Three Rivers, Michigan  49093  USA
http://www.armstrong-intl.com/
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