Click to See Complete Forum and Search --> : RPM dependency problems require advise ???
Is there something I don't understand, or is installing any program on Linux a frustrating trail of RPM dependencies followed by constant internet searching for the required RPMs? I am about ready to give up on Linux, if only because it is incredibly aggravating and difficult to install anything.
My current example is this; I am trying to install mplayer to play videos. After attempting to install the RPM from console, I of course got a list of no less than 6 RPM that it required. That was annoying. But then, each of these require more RPMs, and then even some of those require more.
And now, I get, "libaa.so.1 is needed by mplayer-0.90pre8-1cl."
But when I do a "rpm -ivh aalib-1.2-4.i386.rpm," I get,
libncurses.so.4 is needed by aalib-1.2-4
libslang.so.0 is needed by aalib-1.2-4
Arg, it's like a vicious loop, so far as I know I have libslang.so.0 installed. And what do you do when one RPM requires an older version of another RPM, but you already have a newer version installed, and other programs require it!? That is the craziest thing I have ever seen, but it has stopped me from installing several things.
But yeah, Windows has a much nicer system. I double-click on an EXE, and amazingly a little wizard comes up and installs everything for me, and 95% of the time, it even includes all the files it needs to run. You heard me right, when I last installed Warcraft 3, I didn't have to search on the internet for random EXEs to get it running. It's very, very easy.
Please save me from my ignorance.
RedHat 9
nextbillgates
07-21-2003, 06:09 PM
Welcome to RPM Hell :D
Try apt-get for Red Hat. It will automagically handle dependancies for you.
You can get it here (http://apt.freshrpms.net/).
mdwatts
07-21-2003, 06:10 PM
Originally posted by yutt
But yeah, Windows has a much nicer system. I double-click on an EXE, and amazingly a little wizard comes up and installs everything for me, and 95% of the time, it even includes all the files it needs to run. You heard me right, when I last installed Warcraft 3, I didn't have to search on the internet for random EXEs to get it running. It's very, very easy.
Stick with Windows as they don't have to worry about the different distros, file & directory locations etc. etc. as the Linux installers do.
I have read here in previous threads that Redhat has some sort of 'apt-get' for rpm's that may take care of dependency problems. See what they have on this subject in their online documentation.
I'd suggest:
Red-Carpet
Or apt with Synaptic.
Originally posted by nextbillgates
Welcome to RPM Hell :D
Try apt-get for Red Hat. It will automagically handle dependancies for you.
You can get it here (http://apt.freshrpms.net/).
Wow, that is exactly the sort of thing that is needed. I haven't quite figured out the syntax for commands, (there seems to be no links to documentation on the site you gave me) but I am sure I will figure out the manual soon.
Originally posted by mdwatts
Stick with Windows as they don't have to worry about the different distros, file & directory locations etc. etc. as the Linux installers do.
I know the plethora of distros are Linux's blessing and curse. Not to get too off-topic or philosophical but... in order for Linux to ever gain major ground as a desktop OS, it is going to need to deal with this. In the very least, the major distributors need to have some sort of standard. Even if that is have something like this apt-get somehow integrated into a GUI install interface. I'll get to designing that as soon as I figure all this crud out. ;)
I consider myself a fairly computer savvy individual, and I find much of this confusing. The average person, like my grandparents, who just purchased a new copy of the atrocious WinXP Home, would have never, ever, bought a computer if installations were as confusing as RedHat's. As far as user friendliness goes, it seems Linux is still running a little behind.
Is the power of Konsole and the GUI and user-friendliness of Win2K too much to ask for? For free? :D
nextbillgates
07-21-2003, 07:22 PM
Wow, that is exactly the sort of thing that is needed. I haven't quite figured out the syntax for commands, (there seems to be no links to documentation on the site you gave me) but I am sure I will figure out the manual soon.
To sync yourself with an apt-repository:
apt-get update
To upgrade the software on your computer to the latest version:
apt-get upgrade
To download a program:
apt-get install name_of_program
mdwatts
07-21-2003, 07:28 PM
Package management in Linux and the main distros getting together to create a Linux standard is improving more and more each day though Redhat has always been the one that does like to be a bit different in their ways.
Besides what the other members have already suggested and the fact I'm getting really tired and did not bother to narrow down the exact documentation link, try having a look through
http://www.redhat.com/support/resources/howto/rhl9.html
for info on rpm and apt-get or apt-rpm.
dkeav
07-21-2003, 07:35 PM
mandrake has urpmi, which is pretty much like apt, you add sources like those ran at plf, and then just give the command urpmi mplayer or whatever, works pretty good if your on mandrake
Originally posted by nextbillgates
To sync yourself with an apt-repository:
apt-get update
To upgrade the software on your computer to the latest version:
apt-get upgrade
To download a program:
apt-get install name_of_program
Wow. That was a magical experience. It just needs a sparkling GUI, to be installed by default in all distros, and to give me the option to add shortcuts to my desktop and K menu. :D
I want to try out that Ximian RedCarpet now. From what I am reading it looks interesting as well.
Edit: I see Synaptic is the sparkling GUI I wanted. Linux is getting better every minute...
mdwatts
07-22-2003, 05:51 AM
Originally posted by yutt
Edit: I see Synaptic is the sparkling GUI I wanted. Linux is getting better ever minute...
You can find gui apps for just about everything.
If using KDE, have a look through www.kde.org and http:/apps.kde.org and also search my favorite http://freshmeat.net
BTW... You may have noticed I manually edited your subject as 'RPM dependency is disgusting...' does not really adhere to our posting rules outlined in the JL Community Help Posting Guidelines sticky thread at the top of each forum.
Originally posted by mdwatts
You can find gui apps for just about everything.
If using KDE, have a look through www.kde.org and http:/apps.kde.org and also search my favorite http://freshmeat.net
FreshMeat appears to be something like SourceForge, eh? apps.kde.org seems nice, haven't looked through too much of it yet though. Now I just need to find some good modern level games for Linux... Seems that Wolfenstein: ET is the only one that exists. :( There needs to be a standardized Direct X-esque API for Linux game design. I know there is one being worked on (don't recall the name though).
BTW... You may have noticed I manually edited your subject as 'RPM dependency is disgusting...' does not really adhere to our posting rules outlined in the JL Community Help Posting Guidelines sticky thread at the top of each forum.
I did notice, but I must argue that my original subject was descriptive of my post. ;)