Page 88 - DCAP106_OPERATING_SYSTEM_TOOLS

Unit 4: Installing Software

deb packages are designed for Debian Linux. The apt system is the simplest way to retrieve and Notes
install packages for Debian Linux.
apt: apt is a system for installing packages. It can be used for both types of package, and is
primarily used on Debian systems.
To use apt, you need to set up an apt source. On Debian systems, the debian-config program sets
up the sources during the installation process. Apt sources are locations where packages and
package information can be downloaded. Once you have an apt source set up, the command apt-
get install (package name) will install the package for you, and also install anything the package
requires.
If you do not know the package name, the command apt-cache search (keywords) will search
package names, file names and package descriptions for the keywords; and present a list of
matching packages.
$ apt-cache search cervisia
cervisia - KDE based CVS frontend
The command apt-get update will automatically update the source and package lists, and should
be used if you want the latest version of a package.
dpkg: The Debian package manager is another way to install .deb packages. dselect is a graphic
front end to dpkg, and can be called by running the command dselect from the command line.

dpkg can be run directly from the command line, if desired.
alien: alien will convert one sort of package to the other. It works on rpm (Red Hat), deb (Debian),
slp (Stampede), pkg (Solaris) and tgz (archived and compressed) files.
The alien manual explicitly states not to use it for system-critical programs, only for applications.

Task Make distinction between .rpm and deb.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
6. The .......................................... mode is used to install RPM packages onto your system.
7. The -q switch is used to .......................................... packages.
8. The RPM .......................................... command removes a package from your system.

9. .......................................... is a graphical front end to the RPM package management system.
10. All the source files, associated libraries and documentation are distributed as compressed
archives called ..........................................

11. The .......................................... command uses the Makefile to create installable binaries.
12. .......................................... option allows you to set the base directory where the package gets
installed.
13. .......................................... is used by Debian Linux and distributions based on Debian.

14. .......................................... is a graphic front end to dpkg, and can be called by running the
command dselect from the command line.

15. To unbzip a file, we run the command ..........................................

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