Installing Packages with Debian

Discussion in 'Linux / Unix Discussion' started by zimbo, Mar 18, 2006.

  1. zimbo
    Honorary Member

    zimbo Petabyte Poster

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    I have my debian GUI nicely up and running now but now its time to install 3 packages i want - firefox, thunderbird and openoffice. I download them and thought if i use the KDE Package manager i could install them from there (thats what this is used for right?) - since this installs .tgz files too.

    Well guess what after i enter the root's password i get a error 127, cant find an installer or something like that.. i tried googling but nothing much understood. :( :oops: i know im trying to run before i walk but if someone could give me a quick shortcut to installing them please. I know its better not to learn shortcuts but right now im only messing around to get the feel (im loving it so far!) and i am going to get into debian more once i finish my current cert.

    Thanks in advance guys!
     
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  2. zimbo
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    zimbo Petabyte Poster

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    Thanks to tripwire for helping out.. just thought i would add it here for anyone in the future!

    Thanks again trip! :thumbleft
     
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  3. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    I prefer to pipe to "less" rather than "more" to search output. It allows you to scroll up and down through the output using the arrow key, not just scroll down 1 page at a time and then automatically leave the output once you reach the last of the output.
     
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  4. zimbo
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    zimbo Petabyte Poster

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    thanks freddy! what i am now trying to do is intall the new open office 2.0 i have 1.01 and thats the latest package if you:

    Code:
    apt-get install openoffice.org
    how else can i install the latest version? or how to go some step further.. lets say you have downloaded a package from somewhere now what? :rolleyes:
     
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  5. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    It may or may not be possible. Right now there is a huge difference between the "stock" Sarge kernel and the "stock" kernel from Sid/unstable. It requires some upgrades that do not work very smoothly to say the least. The last time I tried it wouldn't even work as the later kernel requires some dependencies that do not lend themselves to upgrades as to install one part of the upgrade requires another part of the upgrade and the second part of the upgrade requires the first. It's a loop that the developers have to figure out. I don't remember whether or not the OO packages require any of that portion of the upgrade so that's why I say it may or may not be possible.

    However, here's how to try.

    The safest way to do this is to use apt-pinning for the specific packages you want to use from Sid. What follows are the steps to upgrade and pin those specific packages to Sid.

    1. touch /etc/apt/preferences

    2. edit the file you just created above so it contains the following group of lines for each package you want to upgrade.

    Code:
    Package: package_name_you_want_to_upgrade
    Pin: release a=unstable
    Pin-Priority: 990
    3. Go into your /etc/apt/sources.list file and edit it by adding a line that changes the "sarge" or "stable" word in the line to "sid" or "unstable". Use which ever name is consistent with your current naming scheme.

    4. Run "apt-get update".

    5. Run apt-get -t "sid or unstable whichever name you have used above" install packagename. Obviously, don't use the quotes. They are just there to set aside the instructions from me.

    You will have to do all this as root, as you probably know.

    If any of this is as clear as mud, ask.
     
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  6. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    Zimbo,

    There is a package that I highly recommend that you install. In the Debian repositories it's called "debian-reference" and it contains everything I just told you in the post above, and a whole lot more, about how to work in Debian.

    Once you install it it shows up in the Gnome menu under Applications -> Debian -> Help. You will find it invaluable.
     
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  7. zimbo
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    zimbo Petabyte Poster

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    Thanks for the help freddy! i think like you said in linux knowledge base maybe this is a little hard now.. i ony started on friday and i have installed firefox and thunderbird... i got my asdl working and my email.. i think ill need a good book or two once i start making time otherwise its all exciting from here! I just need to learn the basics too! 8)
     
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    WIP: M.Sc - Computer Forensics
  8. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    Zimbo,

    What I said on linux-tutorial was that using alien is the difficult way to do things. That's because of all the dependency issues involved that need to come from another release of Debian.

    Apt-pinning and using apt-get takes care of all those dependency issues. What I gave you here is pretty straight forward. If you follow the instructions I gave you don't even need to understand why, it will just work.
     
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  9. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    Learning apt-get and how to install from the repositories are basic Debian functions. Install that debian-reference package I mentioned here. There are pages in it that will tell you in much more explicit detail how to do the things I gave you step-by-step instructions for.
     
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  10. simongrahamuk
    Honorary Member

    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    Linux in a Windows World

    Cracking book. Only up to chapter 5, but it's been a great read so far! 8)
     
  11. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    So you like that book, Simon? What is good about it? I'm really curious.

    I'd recommend The Debian System: Concepts and Techniques to Zimbo as a Debian specific book. It has the best coverage of apt I've ever seen. As one of the reviewers noted in the link I gave it does give rather uneven coverage, but the things it covers it covers extremely well. It's a must for anyone really wanting to understand Debian.

    One other book I got not too long ago that I'd highly recommend is Self Service Linux: Mastering the Art of Problem Determination It throws a user in at the deep end of things, but it's the best book, by far, that I've seen for learning how to troubleshoot problems in Linux. I can't recommend this book highly enough to someone who wants to administer Linux machines. The author is one of the people who is very deeply involved with the Samba project. He is very, very good, both at Linux and writing books. I really like his stuff.
     
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  12. simongrahamuk
    Honorary Member

    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    Whats good about it is that it is ideal for someone like me, an experienced windows admin, but a relative linux newbie.

    It covers exactly what I want it to do, how I can integrate linux into a windows network, and even possibly take over!

    It explains things like Samba Authentication and CUPS in just enough detail to get them up and running without going overboard with the configuration, as the last thing that someone new to setting these things up wants is to get confused by the configs.

    I just wish that I could dedicate more time than I do to reading it and 'tinkering'.

    8)
     
  13. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    Thanks, Simon. Was really curious as why you really liked the book. It does sound like it's a good fit for someone used to doing things the MS way and wants to integrate Linux into the network.
     
    Certifications: MCSE, MCDBA, CCNA, A+
    WIP: LPIC 1
  14. zimbo
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    zimbo Petabyte Poster

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    thanks guys... ill install that package freddy.. im just glad i have started something even if it was a basic apt-get install command! 8) i have always just install linux distros and looked around gui's not even run applications so what i have covered over this week is made me wake up a little.. hopefully with your help (meaning everyone's!!) ill add debian to my skill set.. i do have to ask you once told me you enjoy debian over red hat for the reason it was a 'real linux OS' what did you mean? what are the differences between redhat/fedora and debian? i know they seem to use different packages.. what i am trying to ask is once you learn one distro can you easliy learn another? :rolleyes:
     
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    WIP: M.Sc - Computer Forensics
  15. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    Yes.

    I don't remember saying anything like "Debian is a real Linux OS" and inferring that distro's such as Fedora, RedHat, SuSe, etc... aren't. They are all real Linux distro's. The only distro I wouldn't really consider a distro is maybe Lindows, or whatever it's called now. (Linspire?) It's still a distro, it's just that it's pay-for-only, and requires a person to buy access to their repositories. But, it's still based on the Linux kernel and it is a Debian descendent. It just doesn't really seem to subscribe to the Linux philosophy to me, but then maybe that's just me...
     
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  16. zimbo
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    zimbo Petabyte Poster

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    alright maybe i dont remeber it correct then cause that linspire does sound familiar too.. im installing the package now.. freddy from your person experience how did you start off? i mean knowing zero linux and not knowing where everything is, is pretty difficult how did you go about learning debian? is it better to do some reading first or just starting living with it as your main OS?
     
    Certifications: B.Sc, MCDST & MCSA
    WIP: M.Sc - Computer Forensics
  17. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    I installed it on a spare machine. I started learning by just using it. Doing things that I knew were possible in Linux that I'd never been able to do in Windows.

    My first project was building custom kernel. I screwed it up, rebuilt my machine and started over. I've made tons of screwups, but that's pretty much how everyone learns Linux. You just start attempting to do what you want to do and when you run into a problem you just start researching and reading.
     
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    WIP: LPIC 1
  18. zimbo
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    zimbo Petabyte Poster

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    the problem mate is im focusing too much on my time MCSA right now cause i really want to finish it! Im learning great new skills there and i want to show people in the future i know what im doing.. hence i need to finish up my current cert before i learn new things but im glad i have started cause linux and debian is a different world totally! The best part i enjoy is that when you learning linux the how-to guides seem to be more than windows how-to's! :D
     
    Certifications: B.Sc, MCDST & MCSA
    WIP: M.Sc - Computer Forensics

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