Package Files (.rpm and .deb)

I just learned this here recently. Specifically I learned it from a podcast I listen to called Going Linux (Episode #12) so I have to give the credit to the narrator Larry Bushey. I highly recommend his podcast especially for new users. Having said that, lets get into this thing.

In Windows we used exe and msi files to install software. There was a certain comfort there when we simply double-clicked a downloaded file to begin an install. Well--Linux has the same thing believe it or not. The two most common are .rpm and .deb. There is a catch though. Certain versions of Linux can only use certain package files natively. Rpm is generally linked to RedHat and its spin-offs (Fedora, CentOS ....). The deb packages are generally linked to Debian (go figure it makes sense lol), and its spin-offs (Ubuntu, Knoppix ...). With these packages in the correct Linux version, the installation of software is a breeze.

What if you want to install a kick but app that is in the wrong package for the Linux OS you are in?? In my case I was in Ubuntu, and there was a game that was a rpm. What to do...what to do?? Well thanks to Larry I found out about a program called Alien. Now the cool thing is Alien is probably in your Synaptic Package manager already. But if not you can get it from the this link. Now I am going to warn you that Alien is command line driven. I know I'm sorry but you have use this tool from the console. Once you have installed it and opened the console (terminal for you Fedora users) you can type:

/usr/bin/alien -d package.rpm

or if you want to go to rpm

/usr/bin/alien --to-rpm package.deb

Once it is complete you can double click on the new package and boom-bam your program will install.

Now I also want to throw in there that Alien can convert to a bunch of other packages like Stampede .slp, and Slackware .tgz file formats. Alien can also handle Solaris' .pkg.

So there you go ... happy hunt-and-pecking!!

Should I really be running Ubuntu??

When I started this blog I was all about the Ubuntu distribution of Linux. I hate to say it but it is just to much of a pain to do anything in it. Don't get me wrong i love the fact that everything that is needed for most new Linux users comes pre-installed. I'm not a normal user. I like to try stuff. I like to install new versions of Beryl. I like to install WINE, and run PC games. I have to work in a program named Condor for GRID computing that isn't supported in Ubuntu. I hate to say it but Ubuntu just isn't getting it for me. I am seriously considering switching over to either Suse or Fedora. I'm leaning greater to the Fedora side because of user lead forums and what not. I guess this is a part of every Linux users plight. Since Linux isn't standardized or centralized different distributions may be better for a person or companies particular situation. It sucks but so is life you know? So --Ubuntu guys I am sorry but I just can't take sudo'ing everything anymore. I want a root account. I want to be able to use su. I want some of the power of true Linux back. So I am going to have to jump ship to a different distribution.

I can't run "make" in Ubuntu

I have tried to install a couple things that kept asking me to "./configure" and then"make install". I kept getting a "unknown command" when I tried to run it. Well after a bit of searching I found out that this was because there was no C/C++ Compiler installed. Websites spoke of all types of freaky weird ways to make it work when I came upon a post about "Synaptic Package Manager" which was a life saver.

Basically Synaptic is a graphical version of apt-get which if you have run across...you will. Apt-get is a command line way to download and install programs in Linux from the command line (Red Hat also uses "yum"). Well the catch is that if any part of the program name has changed --say oh the version number, you may not be able to find the app.

Because Synaptic is visual you do do a simple search to visually pick what you need. (Note: If your flavor of Linux does not have synaptic you should be able to use the command apt-get update && apt-get install synaptic)

I said all that to say this. To install that elusive compiler program you can open Synaptic by

1. Going to System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manger.
   
2. Click on "Reload" to update the available packages.
3. Click on the "Search" button.
4. Type in "gcc" and press enter. (Note: gcc is a command line C/C++ compiler)
5. Select all instances of "gcc" that appear
6. Click "Apply" and the packages will be installed for you.
7. Close Synaptic
   
8. Run your "make install" command from the terminal window.

In my case I also had to add a library in which case you can go back into Synaptic and simply search or what ever library name it needs.

Special Note: Remember in Ubuntu you must add "sudo" to the front of "make" in the terminal window so the OS will not complain about permission issues.

Installing games in Ubuntu

Ok guys the reason i haven't been posting much is because I am currently in a battle of witts between my computer and myself. I like to play games--there I said it. I like PC games at that. There is an application called Wine that allows people to install and play windows games, and other applications in Linux. Cool beans right--wrong. The wine install was pretty easy.

Open a terminal window from "Applications --> Accessories"

sudo wget http://wine.budgetdedicated.com/apt/sources.list.d/feisty.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/winehq.list

Once that is done you are supposedly able to type

sudo wine 

Yeah well if during the install of the application you must say--change CDs you get the error "Cannot eject CD because application is using it". Umm yeah well that sucks. I thought I had it figured out with the "sudo wine eject" command but althogh the Cd ejected, the installation would not continue. As soon as I get this figured out I will tell yall all about it.

Burning the Ubuntu ISO in Mac OS X

Some quick steps for you once you have downloaded you distribution (Linux ISO file) to burn it to a CD or DVD.

1. Insert a blank CD-R or DVD (Note: if you have downloaded a DVD ISO image file you must have a DVD Burner to burn it to . A regular CD-R/RW drive will not burn a DVD image or auto-magically split it up for you.)
2. Go to "Hard drive --> Applications --> Utilities --> Disc Utility"
3. On the menu bar select "Images" and then "Open"
4. In the browse window, select the ISO image you downloaded.
5. Click the mounted image in the left frame and then click the "Burn" icon in the left corner.
6. Once the CD is burner, close "Disc Utility"