Re: Manual vs Automatic install for software newbie qustion
Incoming from Scotty Fitzgerald:
> I've noticed that a lot of software comes as "tar.gz" and I have a cookbook
> method of installing these, but I wanted to know if doing this could screw
> up the database that apt-get, dpkg, and dselect use. What do I need to
> know as a newbie about this, should I try to restrict myself to *.deb
> packages? Is there a way of telling woody that I installed a "tar.gz"
> system and have it update?
As to the last question, no, it would not be automatically updated
since the packaging system wouldn't have a clue as to what it is.
As to the other questions, /usr/local is for your own software
installs. That will be ignored by the packaging system.
There is a package named "alien" which is used for converting from one
format to another, but you can't expect too much from it. It works
and it will eventually get your software installed, but it's not like
it will be absolutely integrated with the other installed software
base.
"rpm" runs on Debian too, but you really ought to try to find a .deb
before you resort to installing rpm's on Debian.
--
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(*) http://www.spots.ab.ca/~keeling Please don't Cc: me.
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