Re: Linux Newbie Questions.
At 12:08 PM 12/21/1998 -0700, Holdsworth, Ed wrote:
>I am getting ready to install Debian Linux on my PC. I'm pretty sure I
>understand how to do this from the online instructions. I have have a
>few other questions, however:
>
>1. What is the difference between X11 and Xfree86? Will either of these
>be installed as part of the Debian Linux installation? Do I need to go
>to the Xfree86 site and install it? I am assuming that the windowing
>software typically reqires use of X11 or Xfree86.
My understanding is that Xfree86 is a free (in the GNU sense) version of
the standard X11 system. It is not installed as part of the base install of
Debian. However, after the initial base install, you should be given the
option to choose an option to build the type of system you desire (a home
workstation with dial-up capability, an office workstation, a web server,
etc). If you don't bypass this option and choose one of the options that
includes X, X will be installed and configured.
>2. I have located packages on the Debian FTP site, but no instructions
>on how to install a package. Do all the files listed under a package
>directory ned to be downloaded and do I need to compile with GCC?
>Instructions on how to install a package would be greatly appreciated.
Most software that you will install on a Debian system will be installed
via Debian's installation program dselect/dpkg/apt. dpkg is the "engine",
and dselect is the current front-end for that engine. apt (or apt-get) is
the next version of a front-end for dpkg. As a newbie, you'll probably be
running dselect instead of directly running dpkg/apt. If you need to
install some software other than what you install in the previous
paragraph, dselect is probably the easiest way to do it. However, be aware,
that for a newbie dselect is VERY confusing the first 3 or 4 times around,
so read the help screens/docs first.
The basic steps are to run dselect (as root), choose an access method
(installing from CD-ROM, or ftp, ot whatever), then do an update (to update
dpkg's database of what's available), then do a select (/ is the search
key, you can search for "doom" or "netscape" for example), making sure to
read the information on the package (do you need to manually do anything,
like for Netscape) that shows up in the bottom half of the screen. When you
select something that requires other packages, you should be told something
to that effect, in which case, just press Enter on the dependencies page
(letting dselect handle the choices for now). Then after selecting
everything you want, press Enter to go back to dselect's main screen. Then
do an install, then a configure, then another configure or two until you
don't get any more error messages (because package 2 needs package 1
configured first, which needs package 3 configured, so it sometimes takes
three or four tries to iron everything out). Then Quit.
WARNING: First time or two around in dselect, DO NOT SELECT A BUNCH OF
STUFF. Stick with installing ONE small, simple package to get the feel for
things. Then after a successful install, you can get two or three things at
a time. Don't try to get a bunch at once until you know what you're doing.
Also, when you see that a package is marked to be installed even though you
know it's already been installed, don't try to mark it as Hold or anything;
dselect is smart enough not to install something already installed; it's
just not smart enough to let you know that it's smart enough.
Hope this helps.
>Thanks.
>
>
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