Re: dftp & dselect

["behan (b.) webster" <behanw@bnr.ca>]

[snip]
>> Dftp presents the user with a list of all packages that are new or
>> have been updated and allows the user to choose which ones to
>> retrieve/install.  Dselect, on the other hand, requires that you
>> know the package you want to install.
>
>I still don't see much difference here.  Dselect presents you with a
>list of *all* packages, including new ones, then downloads the
>selected ones.
>
[snip]
>> The latest version of dftp will now run on an NFS mount, CD-ROM,
>> etc., so you can determine what has changed between what is
>> installed and what is available on distributions other than FTP.
>
>Can't the dselect hard disk installation method be used to accomplish
>the same thing?

I think the key difference here is that dselect is an all inclusive tool
that does everything from washing your socks to making sure your toast
doesn't burn.  It does it's best to make sure you don't do anything stupid.
(At least that's my take on the situation).

dftp is a little like diff(1).  It looks at what you have installed
currently, and then checks if any of those packages have been updated
recently.  The end result is that you are presented with a list of packages
that are upgrades for what you have currently installed, a list of new
packages that you've never seen before, and a list of old packages
(packages that you've decided during previous dftp sessions that you didn't
want to install).  Then, once you've made you choice of new or upgraded
packages to install, it downloads them (if using ftp) and then installs
them for you.  (you can also select old packages which, by default, are not
selected for being downloaded)

Of course the big problem with dftp is that it doesn't check dependencies
and such.  But I haven't found that this limitation has ever been too big a
deal...  You just end up picking buckshot out of your foot once or twice.

dftp is ideal for keeping your debian installation up to date with the bleedy-
edge packages in the development tree.  (or so I've found)
I find that I prefer to use dpkg and dftp to keep my system upto date
rather than using dselect.  (I just find it's easier).

my $0.02.

Behan Webster
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Behan Webster                  | The opinions expressed above are mine and |
behanw@bnr.ca                  | in no way reflect those of BNR or N@RTEL. |
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