What are packages?
Posted 02-07-2009 at 01:12 PM by QueenZ
camorri:
Each distro is a custom version of linux. In fact a distro is a linux kernel plus a lot of other linux programs. The installer may check for pre-req's ( or may not ). Each distro tests to a greater, or lesser degree compatibility. If you look into the code, you will find various releases of every component that exists. So the distro people have to decide what release of each piece of the package will work with the application that is to be installed. They bundle the pieces into a package.
Part of what is different between windoze and linux, is linux code tends to get written once. Then if an application needs the function of another piece of code, the original code is used, they don't re-write a new version of the same code. Windoze on the other hand, the code is developed my a company wanting to be paid for their effort. So they write the whole thing, don't share the code, even if much of the same code exists elsewhere. The wheel keeps getting re-invented. So the windoze writers create a new program, and put it in one .exe self installing file.
Each distro has its own philosophy. You can do what you want with it. Micro$ dictates how code there will be set up.
Beyond packages, you can get the source code. This allows you, if you want to alter a program, and then compile it, and install. You can literally change an application to your needs.
Windoze apps come as binary files only. You can not easily alter how the program functions. You can only change things through what configuration the creator intended.
Hope this helps.
Each distro is a custom version of linux. In fact a distro is a linux kernel plus a lot of other linux programs. The installer may check for pre-req's ( or may not ). Each distro tests to a greater, or lesser degree compatibility. If you look into the code, you will find various releases of every component that exists. So the distro people have to decide what release of each piece of the package will work with the application that is to be installed. They bundle the pieces into a package.
Part of what is different between windoze and linux, is linux code tends to get written once. Then if an application needs the function of another piece of code, the original code is used, they don't re-write a new version of the same code. Windoze on the other hand, the code is developed my a company wanting to be paid for their effort. So they write the whole thing, don't share the code, even if much of the same code exists elsewhere. The wheel keeps getting re-invented. So the windoze writers create a new program, and put it in one .exe self installing file.
Each distro has its own philosophy. You can do what you want with it. Micro$ dictates how code there will be set up.
Beyond packages, you can get the source code. This allows you, if you want to alter a program, and then compile it, and install. You can literally change an application to your needs.
Windoze apps come as binary files only. You can not easily alter how the program functions. You can only change things through what configuration the creator intended.
Hope this helps.
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