On 18 Jan, Michael Johnson wrote:
>
> On Mon, 18 Jan 1999, Scott Bronson wrote:
>> However, in doing so, I believe that SuSE has an obligation to keep
>> their RPMs up to date. Currently, they are not. Therefore, I have
>> resorted to installing new software using Red Hat RPMs. I could install
>> the tarballs, of course, but I find that installing RH RPMs on SuSE is
>> easier (most of the time it just involves a symlink or two).
>
> I don't think staying current is easy. I think for them to do it they'd
> almost need someone committed to just doing that, given the fast turn
> around of apps in Linux, which are updated, ugraded, changed, etc faster
> than any other OS, I've seen. I think the closest they might get is
> contributions to the contributory archive, and even then that opens up
> other potential problems... I think people that complain about the lack of
> current RPMS are underestimating the massive task of staying current in an
> OS with such a quick turn around time.
>
> Contributory archives are o.k. But I only think it'll work in exchanging
> things between people with Stock systems. Many of us have non-standard
> systems. For instance, if I build a gtk+ app and upload an RPM for it
> but my gtk+ is not stock gtk that came with S.u.S.E. then the app may not
> install or work right on someone with an older gtk, so to add contributed
> stuff, you'd have to be _real_ concerned about dependency issues and run
> time neccessities. Especially with apps with massive dependency issues
> like Gimp, or Gnome.
>
> I still think if you want to stay current you have to roll some of your
> own stuff. I don't see ANY dist being current and keeping up with all the
> daily stuff that's happening all the time in Linux, especially since RPM,
> unlike tar.gz's source builds takes alot from the idea of system homogeny.
>
>
>> I find this lack of attention from SuSE a little frightening. I've been
>> using rufus.w3.org since SuSE says nothing about new RPMs (only bug
>> fixes) on their web site, and most of the SuSE RPMs there are already
>> out of date.
>
> No dist is current that I've seen. I think debian seems to be more current
> than S.u.S.E. or RedHat, at least this is what I've heard. Even with the
> RedHat RPMS many are 'contributed' RPMS that aren't neccesarily
> 'sanctioned' by RedHat, so you use at your own risk. Whenever an RPM is
> glibc or in RedHat's contributory archive, people call them 'RedHat' RPMS,
> which isn't quite accurate really, is it? And why the heck do people
> assume that these RPMS are 'safe' anyway. Where'd that come from? Who
> checks them out and makes sure they don't have issues? Most of them are
> 'use at your own risk'.
After fooling with redhat, I have to admit that redhat 5.2 seems a bit
more current than suse 5.3 in some regards. In others it seems to lag
behind. The rpms that suse builds will work sometimes in redhat; but
I have found that true "redhat" rpms from one of the rpm mirror sites
often do not work in suse. Almost everything in life is "use at your
own risk". So why not operating systems and software? I think that
contributory rpm packages are nice because authors deliver something
that a person new to the arena can find a use for. The more
complicated rpm packages with laundry lists of failed dependencies
definitely make an issue for new users. The way Michael Johnson
explains it is the way it is I think; except I also believe that
distributors of linux software should make every attempt to release
upgrades and not just bug fixes. Why would someone choose to move from
one dist. to another? What major factors influence their decisions?
Is it the support delivered by things like newsgroups or lists or is it
something like software and upgraded cute packages? I feel quite
secure with suse but after seeing redhat 5.2 I could feel secure there
too.
My opinion is that suse has a quality edge over redhat. I see that edge
slimming with the coming releases if more attention is not paid by suse
to releasing new rpm packages to address what I think are user
requirements. I have to admit to enjoying redhat 5.2. It seems kinda
slick and well done. I never used 5.1 but read the press on it. Im
just cruising things now and am curious about turbolinux, open linux,
debian, BEos, BSD, etc. So my mission is to try them all.
--
Michael E. Perry
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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