Hello, I've started using Linux (CentOS 6) in preparation to take the RHCSA Exam 200. I was previously running WinXP (the dreaded FPS monkey had me) and only ran Linux in VMs or a dual-boot config for learning. I work in a big iron AIX environment, so I get my UNIX jollies that way.
The first thing that struck me was that RPM is still the same elephant in the room no one mentions, just three years older. Is it just me? Am I missing some magic tool out there? I get my hopes up every time I see the message "Resolving dependencies..." only to have them dashed again and again, with the response "Errors: this rpm requires that rpm and this other one too, and while you're at it, you should probably get this one as well, even though its name has nothing to do with the rpm you want". And the insanity repeats itself, but now I am Googling for other rpms located on sites with more ads than good search results. It would be more truthful if the Package Installer's response was "Sit and wait while I tell you how you have failed me. It's your fault. You should have known what I need and where to get it." And then it gives you the silent treatment. You try again a few more times, but the effort is usually more than the reward. In the end, nothing gets resolved. You tell yourself you don't need that rpm, that you can live without it and move on. But it's just a lie. Yum seems to have stricter standards for package distribution and the local databases are cool, but it still seems I don't have right repos setup. Is there some master site listing the yum repos and the packages available there? RPM based package management is a muddled, mish-mash misnomer. I want something like Gentoo's portage, or OpenBSD's ports tree. Ok, there are not as many software packages available, but you KNOW that up front, and not after going through many gyrations of the "Resolving dependencies ..." madness. The time and frustration spent in attempting to manually resolve rpms could have been better spent in compiling code form source, which to me is a lot of fun and a chance to learn something. Frustrated in San Antonio. _______________________________________________ General mailing list General@brlug.net http://brlug.net/mailman/listinfo/general_brlug.net
