If we spend any time in the Linux community, we hear many opinions as to which of the
many Linux distributions is “best.” Often, these discussions get really silly, focusing on
such things as the prettiness of the desktop background (some people won't use Ubuntu
because its default color scheme is brown!) and other trivial matters.
The most important determinant of distribution quality is the packaging system and the
vitality of the distribution's support community. As we spend more time with Linux, we
see that its software landscape is extremely dynamic. Things are constantly changing.
Most of the top-tier Linux distributions release new versions every six months and many
individual program updates every day. To keep up with this blizzard of software, we
need good tools for package management.
Package management is a method of installing and maintaining software on the system.
Today, most people can satisfy all of their software needs by installing packages from
their Linux distributor. This contrasts with the early days of Linux, when one had to
download and compile source code in order to install software. Not that there is anything
wrong with compiling source code; in fact, having access to source code is the great
wonder of Linux. It gives us (and everybody else) the ability to examine and improve the
system. It's just that having a pre-compiled package is faster and easier to deal with.
Package Files
The basic unit of software in a packaging system is the package file. A package file is a
compressed collection of files that comprise the software package. A package may
consist of numerous programs and data files that support the programs. In addition to the
files to be installed, the package file also includes metadata about the package, such as a
text description of the package and its contents. Additionally, many packages contain
pre- and post-installation scripts that perform configuration tasks before and after the
package installation.
To install a package ,type in the following command:
[me@ubuntu ]$: sudo apt-get install <package-name>
Repositories
"A repository is a central place where data is stored and maintained. A repository can be a place where multiple databases or files are located for distribution over a network, or a repository can be a location that is directly accessible to the user without having to travel across a network." says the Wikipedia
A repository is simply a collection of package files hosted on arbitrary server.
To add a repository,type in the terminal:
[me@ubuntu ]$: sudo add-apt-repository <repository-name>
many Linux distributions is “best.” Often, these discussions get really silly, focusing on
such things as the prettiness of the desktop background (some people won't use Ubuntu
because its default color scheme is brown!) and other trivial matters.
The most important determinant of distribution quality is the packaging system and the
vitality of the distribution's support community. As we spend more time with Linux, we
see that its software landscape is extremely dynamic. Things are constantly changing.
Most of the top-tier Linux distributions release new versions every six months and many
individual program updates every day. To keep up with this blizzard of software, we
need good tools for package management.
Package management is a method of installing and maintaining software on the system.
Today, most people can satisfy all of their software needs by installing packages from
their Linux distributor. This contrasts with the early days of Linux, when one had to
download and compile source code in order to install software. Not that there is anything
wrong with compiling source code; in fact, having access to source code is the great
wonder of Linux. It gives us (and everybody else) the ability to examine and improve the
system. It's just that having a pre-compiled package is faster and easier to deal with.
Package Files
The basic unit of software in a packaging system is the package file. A package file is a
compressed collection of files that comprise the software package. A package may
consist of numerous programs and data files that support the programs. In addition to the
files to be installed, the package file also includes metadata about the package, such as a
text description of the package and its contents. Additionally, many packages contain
pre- and post-installation scripts that perform configuration tasks before and after the
package installation.
To install a package ,type in the following command:
[me@ubuntu ]$: sudo apt-get install <package-name>
Repositories
"A repository is a central place where data is stored and maintained. A repository can be a place where multiple databases or files are located for distribution over a network, or a repository can be a location that is directly accessible to the user without having to travel across a network." says the Wikipedia
A repository is simply a collection of package files hosted on arbitrary server.
To add a repository,type in the terminal:
[me@ubuntu ]$: sudo add-apt-repository <repository-name>
No comments:
Post a Comment