Comments on: Words and Pictures in Linux http://www.lostaddress.org/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/ making our stupidity help you Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:45:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Ray http://www.lostaddress.org/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-8110 Ray Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:57:44 +0000 http://www.lostaddress.org/index.php/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/#comment-8110 Thanks for the comment Andrew - much appreciated. I tend to use the rc version, simply because it's likely to be more stable (at least, that's in my opinion). I also tend to use a belt and braces approach - I install everything I think I need because sod's law says that the one time I don't bother will be the one time I need to do that! Thanks for the comment Andrew - much appreciated. I tend to use the rc version, simply because it’s likely to be more stable (at least, that’s in my opinion). I also tend to use a belt and braces approach - I install everything I think I need because sod’s law says that the one time I don’t bother will be the one time I need to do that!

]]> By: Andrew http://www.lostaddress.org/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-8092 Andrew Mon, 14 Jan 2008 10:27:42 +0000 http://www.lostaddress.org/index.php/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/#comment-8092 Just a quick question about the mplayer comments in your page. My experience is with the svn mplayer rather than the rc versions but certainly in the svn version of mplayer dvdread and libdvdcss are contained within the program and do not need to installed seperately. This may have changed since you wrote this page. Thanks for taking the trouble with the rest of your site which I have enjoyed reading through!! Andrew Just a quick question about the mplayer comments in your page. My experience is with the svn mplayer rather than the rc versions but certainly in the svn version of mplayer dvdread and libdvdcss are contained within the program and do not need to installed seperately. This may have changed since you wrote this page.

Thanks for taking the trouble with the rest of your site which I have enjoyed reading through!!

Andrew

]]> By: Ray http://www.lostaddress.org/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4188 Ray Tue, 13 Feb 2007 18:28:35 +0000 http://www.lostaddress.org/index.php/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/#comment-4188 I use the .tgz's for upgrades only - anything else is done mostly by hand. I use the .tgz’s for upgrades only - anything else is done mostly by hand.

]]> By: drew http://www.lostaddress.org/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4184 drew Tue, 13 Feb 2007 16:13:56 +0000 http://www.lostaddress.org/index.php/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/#comment-4184 I use official slackware tgz's in most cases. It simplifies things. I download what I need and place into a temporary directory. Once all in place, it's as simple as: upgradepkg *.tgz It will upgrade if it's present, for those that might not already be installed, I go back and just do an installpkg. Perhaps I should write a script that automatically checks for updated packages if I don't already have them and wget them, notifies me of the new packages and then I can review before installing if it's necessary.. hmmm.. But then again, I usually do all my upgrades on test machine before applying to the main servers I have. Never test on a production box, it's can come back to bite you on some days.. I use official slackware tgz’s in most cases. It simplifies things. I download what I need and place into a temporary directory. Once all in place, it’s as simple as: upgradepkg *.tgz

It will upgrade if it’s present, for those that might not already be installed, I go back and just do an installpkg. Perhaps I should write a script that automatically checks for updated packages if I don’t already have them and wget them, notifies me of the new packages and then I can review before installing if it’s necessary.. hmmm..

But then again, I usually do all my upgrades on test machine before applying to the main servers I have. Never test on a production box, it’s can come back to bite you on some days..

]]> By: Ray http://www.lostaddress.org/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4164 Ray Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:23:52 +0000 http://www.lostaddress.org/index.php/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/#comment-4164 Everyone should agree with me anyway :wink: Slackpacks can be useful, but if they put files on non standard places - say /usr/lib rather than /usr/locallib and you install something that looks to /usr/local/lib you will end up chasing down the problems and then hand tweaking some programs. I had to do that a few times until I realised that i would save time by just getting the source. Next step is, theoretically, to hand install KDE (or, at least, use Konstruct to do it). But I'm in no mad rush to get my DE up that 0.01 of a step. Everyone should agree with me anyway :wink:

Slackpacks can be useful, but if they put files on non standard places - say /usr/lib rather than /usr/locallib and you install something that looks to /usr/local/lib you will end up chasing down the problems and then hand tweaking some programs.

I had to do that a few times until I realised that i would save time by just getting the source.

Next step is, theoretically, to hand install KDE (or, at least, use Konstruct to do it). But I’m in no mad rush to get my DE up that 0.01 of a step.

]]> By: J_K9 http://www.lostaddress.org/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4163 J_K9 Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:48:03 +0000 http://www.lostaddress.org/index.php/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/#comment-4163 Well, for large packages, I would definitely agree with you, but I personally find it much simpler to install the smaller apps with slackpacks :) Then again, you are my Slack mentor, so I should be agreeing with you :tongue: Well, for large packages, I would definitely agree with you, but I personally find it much simpler to install the smaller apps with slackpacks :)

Then again, you are my Slack mentor, so I should be agreeing with you :tongue:

]]> By: Ray http://www.lostaddress.org/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4153 Ray Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:35:46 +0000 http://www.lostaddress.org/index.php/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/#comment-4153 Personally, and paradoxically, under Slackware I find it easier to do things via source than via .tgz files. Especially where there are a number of dependencies. If you go via Linuxpackages, you need to open each file in your archive manager and look at the requirements file to see what the dependencies are. Then do the same for the dependencies. It's a lot slower than doing ./configure and then seeing what the program complains about :) Also, unless the slackpack installs to the places the source program is expecting, you have to spend even more time tweaking configuration files and the such like. Much easier to do it from source from the start. Case in point: I used the KDE 3.5.6 files from Linuxpackages to upgrade KDE. Cunningly, whoever put them together has their Konsole program set up strangely and no amount of fiddling would return it to the correct state - it seems that everyone is forced to have their konsole the same way as the package creator.... Personally, and paradoxically, under Slackware I find it easier to do things via source than via .tgz files. Especially where there are a number of dependencies.

If you go via Linuxpackages, you need to open each file in your archive manager and look at the requirements file to see what the dependencies are. Then do the same for the dependencies. It’s a lot slower than doing ./configure and then seeing what the program complains about :)

Also, unless the slackpack installs to the places the source program is expecting, you have to spend even more time tweaking configuration files and the such like.

Much easier to do it from source from the start.

Case in point: I used the KDE 3.5.6 files from Linuxpackages to upgrade KDE. Cunningly, whoever put them together has their Konsole program set up strangely and no amount of fiddling would return it to the correct state - it seems that everyone is forced to have their konsole the same way as the package creator….

]]> By: hari http://www.lostaddress.org/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4151 hari Mon, 12 Feb 2007 14:45:35 +0000 http://www.lostaddress.org/index.php/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/#comment-4151 I use slackpkg myself. It's a useful tool, but only for installing and updating official packages. I would still use LinuxPackages.net and see whether a software has a package file before I look for sources. I use slackpkg myself. It’s a useful tool, but only for installing and updating official packages.

I would still use LinuxPackages.net and see whether a software has a package file before I look for sources.

]]> By: J_K9 http://www.lostaddress.org/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4143 J_K9 Mon, 12 Feb 2007 13:51:47 +0000 http://www.lostaddress.org/index.php/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/#comment-4143 Great article, Ray - thanks :) Just a question - why didn't you use the Slack packages instead of building from source? Wouldn't it have been easier? (Sorry, I may have misread the reasons behind this as I'm in a bit of a rush :silly: ) Great article, Ray - thanks :)

Just a question - why didn’t you use the Slack packages instead of building from source? Wouldn’t it have been easier? (Sorry, I may have misread the reasons behind this as I’m in a bit of a rush :silly: )

]]> By: Ray http://www.lostaddress.org/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4134 Ray Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:55:17 +0000 http://www.lostaddress.org/index.php/2007/02/12/words-and-pictures-in-linux/#comment-4134 The original has saved me from forgetting bits a few times, maybe I'll incorporate this into the original some time. Thanks guys. The original has saved me from forgetting bits a few times, maybe I’ll incorporate this into the original some time.

Thanks guys.

]]>