Re: HowTo install X on Woody today - Please help, thanks :)
On Tue, Sep 04, 2001 at 01:52:59AM -0700, tluxt wrote:
> What is the way to properly install X (to prepare for KDE) on a Woody system today?
>
1. Ask on debian-user, not debian-www, as mentioned on the contact
page.
2. apt-get update && apt-get install x-window-system
> On the Woody page it says:
> "Expected major upgrades, by the time woody releases, include . . . XFree86 4.0"
> Does that mean woody has _only_ X4, or both X3 & X4?
>
X Windows 4 only. We are in the process of moving from 4.0.3 to 4.1.0.
It is already in unstable so should be in woody soon, if it isn't
already there.
> Should I use tasksel, or apt-get?
Up to you.
> If apt-get, what command would I use to find out what package name to
> use to apt-get X?
>
Already mentioned above.
> I've seen notes on debian-x list about problems with the current X packages:
> new XFree86 packages may be stalled temporarily
> http://lists.debian.org/debian-x/2001/debian-x-200108/msg00100.html
> ALERT: XFree86 4.1.0-3 maintainer scripts hosed; please wait for 4.1.0-4
> http://lists.debian.org/debian-x/2001/debian-x-200108/msg00126.html
>
4.1.0-4 has already been installed in unstable. Should be in testing
(woody) in a few days if it isn't there yet.
> Also, IIRC, on the KDE list it was mentioned that the tasksel, or task packages,
> (like the X task?) were being currently redone in woody, and may not work
> properly right now. Is that correct?
No idea. Ask on debian-user.
> If I do _not_ want to wait for it to move from unstable to testing,
> what do I do?
wait, grab the packages from unstable, or move to unstable.
> Can I just dl the 4.1.0-4 deb and force it to install?
> How?
>
Use dpkg -i. See man dpkg for details.
> Or, would I be better off getting the 4.1.0-3 instaalled?
> If so, how would I do that?
>
Read the debian-x mailing list archives, or ask there.
> Is the tasksel program working for install of the complete X system?
>
Should be. Ask on debian-user if you want to be sure.
> Wouldn't it be a great idea to put some notes about the status
> of the highly important packages (like X) on the Woody install page:
> http://www.debian.org/releases/testing/
> so that people wanting to try woody wouldn't have to search through
> the mail lists for important info like this?
>
Who decides what highly important is? There is a tendency to start
including everyones favorite package and the whole thing become
unmaintainable.
Who maintains this? As volunteers we are already pressed to do all
that we do.
What happens when the person maintaining those pages gives up?
There are tradeoffs when using free software. A company would
simply tell you to wait until the official release and give you a
single install option. We, on the other hand, allow users to to
install work in progress and give users enough options that getting
started can be somewhat daunting.
Good luck.
--
James (Jay) Treacy
treacy@debian.org
Reply to: