Lecture #6 Installing Software Packages

Objectives

• Find software packages on the internet.
• Install a software package downloaded from an internet site.
• List the contents of a software package.
• Verify if a particular software package is installed and what version it is.
• Remove software packages from the system.

Agenda

• Review of lab 4 and runlevels
• Software packages as tar archives
  Install VMware Tools from the tarball for your Red Hat EL-4 install on the Dual VM.
• Using the RPM package management system
  Install the openmotif package from the rpmfind website.
• Using an advanced package maangement system: yum
  Install filezilla using yum on your SuSE installation.
• Install Adobe Acrobat Reader using the method of your choice.

Assignment

• Read Sections 1,2,4, and 5 from Chapter 25 on X Windows.
• Do Lab 5.
• Extra Credit

Resources

• PowerPoint Slides
• Lecture 6 Archive
• Using a Live CD as a rescue CD video archive.

Software Management

1. Software Package Managers
   • How Package Managers Work
     • Package manager design approaches
   • Advantages of Using a Package Manager
     • Software dependencies on other packages can be checked
     • Database maintains all installation and removal activity
     • Packages cannot be removed if other programs require them
     • Installation of older versions can be prevented
2. The Debian Package Manager
   • Debian Package Priorities
   • Package Control File Information
     • Package name
     • Version number
     • Architecture
     • Dependencies
     • Installed size
     • Information on the maintainer
     • Description of the package
3. Debian Package Management Programs
   • dpkg
   • dselect

     	Access		Configure
     	Update		Remove
     	Select		Quit
     	Install
     

   • Using APT
     • apt-setup
     • atp-get
   • Dependencies and Conflicts
   • Package Verification
4. Red Hat's RPM
   • RPM Configuration
   • Modes and Options
     Install, Uninstall, Query, Verify, Upgrade
   • APT with RPM
     • Could be Linux standard package management front-end
5. Tarballs and Slackware .tgz Files
   • Slackware tgz's
   • Slackware's Main Package Utilities
     • The Slackware package tool
   • Example of the Slackware Package Contents
6. Disadvantages of Package Managers
   • Take away the freedom of the user to decide where files should go
   • Can get confused if a package gets partially installed
   • Different package managers are not compatible with each other.

Relevant Commands and Files