Nathan Poznick wrote: > > >error: cannot open Packages index using db3 - No such file or directory (2) > > Actually, this error is usually due to the RPM database not being > initialized. As root, do an > > rpm --initdb > > And you shouldn't get that message anymore. However, it is probably > best to simply use alien to convert the RPMs into debian packages. No, no, NO! Initializing the rpm database like that will only allow you to experience dependency nightmares and possibly break your system. Please do not recommend this method to other people. It can only hurt them. Man with one watch knows what time it is. Man with two watches is never really sure. Try to rpm install package A. Package A depends upon glibc which is not installed by rpm. (It is installed, but rpm does not know about it.) So you install it by rpm. If you keep that up you will have two completely confused package managers and one really broken system. In general the right answer is to convert the rpm package using alien to a deb package and install the deb package. Unfortunately the alien in 'woody' 'stable' has a couple of conversion bugs. The one from 'sid' 'unstable' has those fixed. I recommend the alien from unstable at this time. [In the case of the Intel compiler this won't work because their packages are completely wacked. They use an external installer shell script around the rpm installer. They use rpm only as a tar-like file carrier and then munge the files after rpm install using their installer shell script. Even on an rpm based system the installation won't verify after an install. They are horrible! I am going to answer the problem of the Intel compiler in another response. And remember, that compiler is not free[1] software and therefore is definitely not part of the Debian project.] When or if people talk to vendors of rpm packages please push them toward the LSB[2]. LSB compliant packages will install with little effort on Debian systems using alien. Then push that vendor to supply packages in the format that their users are using. You are using Debian therefore ask them to supply Debian packages directly. Bob [1] http://www.debian.org/intro/free [2] http://www.linuxbase.org/
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