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Home > Archive > Red Hat Topics > October 2004 > From Windows to Redhat....
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From Windows to Redhat....
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| Infogourou 2004-10-21, 7:45 am |
| I everybody,
I am new to linux and I have a few questions.
1- Is a ".rpm" file the equivalent of a ".exe" file under Windows and how
shoul I install it?
2- What is a packadge?
3- Do I always have to go trough command lines to install something? Which
Command line program is the most appropriate to use.
4- Can someone direct me to a good simple tutorial site.
Thank you
Sylvain
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| Jean-David Beyer 2004-10-21, 7:45 am |
| Infogourou wrote:
> I everybody,
> I am new to linux and I have a few questions.
>
> 1- Is a ".rpm" file the equivalent of a ".exe" file under Windows and how
> shoul I install it?
No. A .exe Windows file is any executable file. (Other suffixes can also
be executed and Microsoft keeps adding new ones so that crackers can keep
ahead of the virus scanner people and people concerned with security). A
..rpm file, per contra, is not directly executable. It is a package that
can be installed, updated, or deleted by running (as root) the rpm program.
To install or update an RPM package, normally you just do
rpm -Uvh package-1.2.3.i386.rpm
(or whatever the name of the package you want to install or update is).
> 2- What is a packadge?
An rpm package is a collection of files (sometimes only one) with all the
associated dependency information that is checked before installing so
that you know what you have is consistent.
> 3- Do I always have to go trough command lines to install something?
No; I understand most distributions have a GUI interface to rpm program. I
know that Red Hat distributions (and probably Fedora) have them. I find
the GUI a bit confusing, so I use the CLI interface -- though I leave the
X Window System running and just open an x-term in GNOME. With a supported
version of Red Hat software (Enterprise Linux) I just let the up2date
daemon take care of it.
> Which
> Command line program is the most appropriate to use.
rpm
> 4- Can someone direct me to a good simple tutorial site.
Typing
man rpm
may provide you with enough information.
>
> Thank you
>
> Sylvain
>
>
--
.~. Jean-David Beyer Registered Linux User 85642.
/V\ Registered Machine 241939.
/( )\ Shrewsbury, New Jersey http://counter.li.org
^^-^^ 08:55:00 up 5 days, 20:26, 3 users, load average: 4.27, 4.25, 4.19
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| Spamless 2004-10-21, 5:45 pm |
| In article <jZNdd.4525$J61.67408@wagner.videotron.net>, Infogourou wrote:
> I everybody,
> I am new to linux and I have a few questions.
>
> 1- Is a ".rpm" file the equivalent of a ".exe" file under Windows and how
> shoul I install it?
No. It is the equivalent of an installation package, e.g. one using
install shield, with scripts to put things in relevant directories,
remove things with you uninstall the software, etc.
Usually, "rpm -Uvh [rpm_file_name]" (or "rpm -ivh [rpm_file_name]")
though rpm (Redhat Package Manager) has lots of other capabilities
(use "man rpm" for information) would be used to update/install
packages ("rpm -e" to remove them; "rpm -q [other stuff]" to
query the database, etc.).
> 2- What is a packadge?
A collection (package) of ... files, installation and un-install
scripts, code to remove old versions when new versions are installed,
check for other required files before installing something which needs
them (but it only checks for RPM installed required files, so if you
install a library needed by an rpm package and then try to install
the rpm package, it may refuse even though the required files *are*
there - there are switches one can use with "rpm" to force installation
without worrying about dependencies, etc. - again, check "man rpm"), etc.
> 3- Do I always have to go trough command lines to install something? Which
> Command line program is the most appropriate to use.
For rpm packages, the "rpm" command is the "most appropriate" for
installation, of cousre. There are graphic front ends. Using the
"rpm" command gives you the most control, of course.
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| Nitewolf 2004-10-26, 5:45 pm |
| i see that you're totally new.
you'll have a lot to post if you depend on newsgroups for now.
surf sites such as http://www.linux.org/docs/index.html
to get a feel of how the OS works and what to expect.
and then, search for specific help if need to.
or better still get/borrow a book on linux and/or fedora, etc.
learn to double boot it and take your time to learn linux.
relying on it completely for now will be suicidal unless your system is
for recreational purposes only. take a look at mandrake, it's currently
one of the most user friendly distro. (www.distrowatch.com) currently, a
few distros have bootable linux systems on CDs. the first
experience will be difficult and helpless, even though you're very fluent
with windows. don't be afraid to ask where to source for info/help. linux
needs you to be familiar with it's system and how it works. that's the
tough part initially. hang on there and have a great journey!
On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 08:26:09 -0400, Infogourou has spoken:
> I everybody,
> I am new to linux and I have a few questions.
>
> 1- Is a ".rpm" file the equivalent of a ".exe" file under Windows and how
> shoul I install it?
> 2- What is a packadge?
> 3- Do I always have to go trough command lines to install something? Which
> Command line program is the most appropriate to use.
> 4- Can someone direct me to a good simple tutorial site.
>
> Thank you
>
> Sylvain
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