On Saturday 08 December 2001 07:27, you wrote: > Hi list, > > Being new, I'm sure I'm going to have lots of questions and stuff I just > don't like. However this dependency stuff when installing software in Linux > is making me nuts! > I read a great review about a great little program called KcreatCD, I go to > the site and get it, all is well until I go to install it. No way it says, > this program needs CDParanoia to be installed first! Well there was no > mention of that in the review, eh hello!
Most Linux apps are small and inter relate with others. They often consist of a 'front end' which is the GUI you feast your eyes on. Some 'middleware' like cdparanoia (which reads audio data digitally), and a 'back end' like cdrecord (which does the actual cd burning). This gives you flexibility and choice. If you do not like the kreatecd front end, then fine... choose a different front end. I tried 8 different cd burning front ends until I found the one I liked best. (It was kreatecd) Its much easier to innovate when only a small portion of the code has to be written. If we had big monolithic applications it would take much longer to develop and it would be a waste of effort. Its the concept of small building blocks which can be independently developed and tested that makes Linux so inherently more stable than windows. > This is not the first time I have come up against this. Why in Linux does > software depend on other software? Why? Why can't each program stand up on > it's own two 1's and 0's? > And that brings me to another question. RPMS. I'm not comfortable with the > concept of installing just yet, and Lord knows the Kpackage and the like in > the distros aren't helping. I have a problem pointing the installer to the > source disks. I kinda thought this would be as easy as pointing to a drive > letter as in Windows. Don't bother with kpackage just use the Mandrake software manager. It is already set up to point to your CD's. Any time you want a package just search for it in the Software Manager. If any 'dependencies' are required. They will be automagically installed. It really is very simple. If you want to install a package not on your CD's (such as kreatecd) then try to find a mandrake version of the rpm by looking up www.rpmfind.org If you use konqueror then all you have to do is click on the rpm, and when it prompts you select 'open' and Software Manager will automagically download and install the rpm and warn you of any needed dependencies. If you cannot find a Mandrake RPM, then a RedHat one will normally do. > > ............Why do I get the feeling someone is about to point out to me > that I should have read a RPMS HOW-TO. > Okay, I'll go do that now. > Mick (It's slow, but I'm getting there) BTW: Do not force an RPM to be installed until you are a LOT more competent with Linux. The software manager knows what it is doing. Enjoy kreatecd. It's the one most like Windows applications, so it should feel familiar. Derek
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