[ubuntu-in] Preferable method to install software on Linux Systems(discussion)

[Shakthi Kannan]

Hi,

On 8/19/07, ramnarayan.k at gmail.com <ramnarayan.k at gmail.com> wrote:
> Have been trying to figure out the various methods of installing
> There are
> 1. Compiling from Source
> 2. Installing from tar zip pacakages

Compiling and installing are not the same tasks. If you meant
installation, the above can be called "installation from sources" as
one.

> 3. Installing distribution speciic packages like rpm's and deb's

Manual method of binary installation.

> 4. Installing via automated mechanisms - apt-get, yum , yast etc.

Using a distro package manager to install binary packages.

> 4. The ease of installing via automated mechanisms makes life very easy
> - no worries about dependencies and distribution specific issues and
> such stuff. The only real concern is access to adequate bandwidth.

You can still use DVDs to do binary package installers, or use local
repositories. You don't need to go to the Internet always ... (1)

 > 3. Distribution specific packaging also seems cool - but this is limited
> only to a few major distributions and sometimes still requires
> dependencies to be met.

Too generic a statement. It depends on the package. Libraries, for
example, may not have dependancies.

> 2. Installing for tar zip packages needs some CLI use, as well as to
> have to attend to all the dependencies but at the same time can be
> installed on any system (!)

Only for developers, unless you know what you are doing.

> 1. Finally compiling from source - really i have no idea what this means
> - but is it supposed to be the most effective way to compile a package

Again, too generic a statement. It depends on what you want to do.
Recommended only for developers.

> specifically to a particular machine and distribution resulting in a
> stable package (& system)

Binary packages are also stable.

> Obviously nothing can be better than over the net automated installs
> but one problem is the bandwidth

Incorrect. See (1) above.

> One specific question i had was how do installing from tar zip packages
> compare to the other methods - since tar zips are what are passed around
> by the various magazines. Further how would Ubuntu react to a tar zip
> package installed on an ubuntu system.

They don't need to react (quite a strong term to use, by the way).

Its just that each disto has its own way of handling packages.

SK

-- 
Shakthi Kannan
http://www.shakthimaan.com