Installing Eclipse: From Ubuntu or from Eclipse Projects?

[Avi Greenbury]

Oliver Ruebenacker wrote:
>   In principle, I like using apt-get because it creates a launcher in
> the menu (in XFCE, at least) and it checks automatically for updates.

Generally, this is 'the right way' since you get all the updates 'for
free' with system upgrades.

>   However, the version offered by Ubuntu is not the latest, and it is
> sometimes broken (like, right now, after I upgraded to Ubuntu 12.10,
> it is unusable).
> 
>   So, I'm wondering what's the best way? Will Ubuntu support for
> Eclipse improve? Are the problems Ubuntu-specific, or do they affect
> other Linux dialects as well (e.g. Fedora)?

This depends on the specific problems - sometimes it's a bug that
exists in the version of Eclipse that was around when Ubuntu froze,
and wasn't found before the freeze. Generally, the best way to
answer these is to file a bug and see what the response is.

If the apt supplied packages are broken, the next best thing in
general is to seek out a PPA from the developers, and after that use
whatever installation means they recommend.

-- 
Avi