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Re: Installing Intel compiler RPMs on Debian



Yes Bob is right.  Let me add few words for quick and sure cure :-)

On Sun, Mar 09, 2003 at 01:27:38PM -0700, Bob Proulx wrote:
> 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.

In the mean time, if Charlie Zender <zender@uci.edu> needs immediate
needs to use Intel compiler, make a minimum install of "RH" system into
a empty partition and install it there.

Then reboot system back to Debian, of course, and mount "RH" partition
to somewhere.  Start chroot "RH" console using similar trick used by
Colin Walters.

  http://people.debian.org/~walters

Then you have Debian stablikity with access to RH system. Do not run
bother to run X from RH which may eat too much memory of having 2 X.

More on chroot:

  http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/reference/ch-tips.en.html#s-chroot

This way, system is very safe without RH daemon with no compatibility
issues on user space console program.

> Bob
> 
> [1] http://www.debian.org/intro/free
> 
> [2] http://www.linuxbase.org/

-- 
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        Osamu Aoki <osamu@debian.org>   Cupertino CA USA, GPG-key: A8061F32
 .''`.  Debian Reference: post-installation user's guide for non-developers
 : :' : http://qref.sf.net and http://people.debian.org/~osamu
 `. `'  "Our Priorities are Our Users and Free Software" --- Social Contract



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