Genral Questions on Types of Linux Files

roiboy · 04-27-2004, 01:13 PM

I need some info on what some of these files do and are.
.Tar or Tarball file
.rpm file
MD5 Checksums

If could help me out it would be a big help.
Thanks

AutOPSY · 04-27-2004, 01:21 PM

tar= tape archive file. an archive basically.
rpm= Redhat package manager file, usually compressed.
MD5(checksum)= encryption algorithym, generated to check that two files are EXACTLY the same bit for bit.

roiboy · 04-27-2004, 01:35 PM

when installing things I get confused about seeing a Tar file and a rpm file do i need both

mikshaw · 04-27-2004, 01:42 PM

tar or tar.* generally contains source files, which are compiled and then installed.
RPM is a pre-compiled installation package.
You could use one or the other, but if you use both you're likely to end up with two separate installations of the same software.

beejayzed · 04-27-2004, 08:22 PM

RPms are much easier to install. You just rnu the necessary command and it installs. With the tarball, which is usually a source package. You need to obviously compile it and add your own menu entr'es and maybe run some config scripts. But the rpm does all that for oyu.