[lug] SUSE- comments

[Tom Tromey]

>>>>> "Wayde" == J Wayde Allen <wallen at lug.boulder.co.us> writes:

Wayde> I've yet to really feel comfortable with Red Hat's RPM system.
Wayde> It just feels kind of clunky to me.  I usually find that I have
Wayde> the best luck with an old fashioned tarball.

I'm guessing you're outside the target audience for RPM :-).

I find the `rpm' tool a pain.  It has a lame user interface.  These
days I always use gnorpm, though -- a Gnome interface to rpmfind.  It
certainly isn't perfect, but it does some things nicely.  For instance
I don't have to dig around on my CDs looking for the right RPM any
more (and hoping I can guess the package name).

Wayde> So far the only package management system that I've found that
Wayde> I like is Debian's.  In the Debian system you simply use the
Wayde> arrow key to highlight the Octave package, hit the "+" key, and
Wayde> then hit return.

I've alternated between Red Hat and Debian over the years.  Right now
I'm in a Red Hat phase since (now) I work there.

I don't miss Debian's dselect.  I always hated that program.  I do
miss `apt-get', though.

I also don't miss the Debian install process, which was a royal pain.
I general I find things like installing the OS and manipulating
packages to be a pain.  They detract from my real work -- I want the
tools to show up, not show up and fight me.  That's why I love having
a package system, and that's what I like about the RH install (I
always just install everything I can, so it is pretty easy).

Wayde> Don't get me wrong.  I did run SuSe at home for a year or so.
Wayde> It is nice in its own way.  The biggest problem I had with it
Wayde> was a continual fight between me and YAST.

I've never tried YAST.  From what I hear there isn't any particularly
good administration tool.  I think RH used to ship with linuxconf, but
people have told me it is so bad that they disabled it.

Tom