Re: apt or aptitude on sarge
Robert Vangel wrote:
Robert Wolfe wrote:
On Wed, 8 Jun 2005, michael wrote:
I note that it seems that aptitude is recommended over apt for Sarge. I
was wondering if it's as str forward as just using aptitude from now on?
eg I do not have to rebuild anything the first time i use aptitude (ie
it uses the same dpkg info as apt - but in that case why is aptitude
recommended over and above apt?)
Correct me if I am wrong on this one, but isn't aptitude just a front
end for apt?
Or dpkg? Aren't they all, basically?
I don't think so. As I recall, dselect (at least when using the apt method)
is more properly a front end for apt, which in turn is a front end for dpkg.
I assume other dpkg front ends are similar, but I could be wrong.
Everyone always goes on about using aptitude rather than apt, I've
*never* had any problems what so ever with apt, and I can't see any
reason to start using aptitude (plus whenever I have used it seems less
responsive / slower (in terms of program execution))
In my experience dselect, and I assume aptitude and other dpkg front
ends are much more intelligent about upgrades, especially in heavily
customized systems. Many times I've seen apt-get happily rip out, or
try to rip out half my system. dselect at least knows enough to ignore
dpkg warnings about broken dependencies that get fixed later in the
upgrade, at least when using apt as it's install method. I suspect that
its bag of tricks is much deeper than that.
In that rare instance where you do have to bite the bullet and resort to
apt-get upgrade or dist-upgrade, which always seem to work, I have to pity
anyone with a slow internet connection and no local archive!
Side note: I've avoiding aptitude and other front ends because of various
problems that I still see reported from time to time. For while I was
partial to stormpkg but the Debian version never seemed to work right,
and now it seems to have gotten dropped.
Offtopic side note: I can recall ripping out X and 300 random or dependant
packages in seconds, just for fun and seeing how easily I can reinstall
everything about the way I like it. (Answer: extremely easily and quickly).
That was with stormpkg and I haven't found anything quite like it since.
The Debian version never worked right and seems to have been dropped.
Terminal-text packages like dselect and aptitude are too laborious and the
other "graphical" apts (like synaptic), seem to just have a thin graphical
veneer, and don't do it for me. Is there anything like stormpackage (i.e.
a "truly graphical" install app?) Am I the only person who longs for this?
For old timers, anyone remember Yggdrasil? Even they had an amazing graphical
install app, back in what? 1994? the likes of which I've not seen since.
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