Transitioning from Windows XP to Fedora
 

I've decided to switch from Windows to Linux, and I'm going with Fedora. I've got Fedora Core version 4 installed on a new partition on my computer, and I'm slowly becoming accustomed to it. I've got a list of random questions that I haven't been able to answer by searching Google or forums like this. Please feel free to tell me to "RTFM" if you can point out exactly where in the "FM" I should "R" to answer my question.

1. What's the deal with RPMs and YUM? Which should I use, and why?
What I'm confused about is that when I went to install Xine, I saw that some web sites recommend I do it with YUM, and other places had a list of RPMs. If I install with RPMs, does that interfere with YUM? Or vice versa? Is one better? Can I use both and not worry?

2. I backed up all my MP3s to 3 data DVDs. I'm now trying to copy them onto my FC4 partition. Now, in Windows when I copy the files back from the DVDs to the HD, no problems. Pretty quick, in fact. But I'm sorry to say that in FC4, it takes quite a while, and on two of the DVDs, it keeps crapping out. Tells me it can't copy a file, and asks if I want to skip or retry. Usually after that point it won't copy any more files. Same computer, same drives, same DVD. Any reason why this would be?
Bonus question: Most of the files have copied, but is there a utlity that I can use to compare the directories on the DVDs and the HD to see which files were missed?

3. My Wacom tablet is still not functioning perfectly, but I'm not going to bug you about that here. I have another thread about that. What I want to ask here is what is going on when I'm "rebuilding the kernel"? I thought the kernel was the heart of Linux, the core of it. In the instructions for installing the Wacom driver, it instructs how to rebuild the kernel, giving me the impression that the Wacom driver was being inserted (?) somehow into the central operations of the Linux OS. That seems to me to be reaching really deep into the core of the OS just for a driver. Does Linux need to be remade every time I install new peripheral hardware?

4. Do I need to defragment my HD regularly in Linux like I do with Windows?

5. The anaconda installer was really nice about letting me choose which programs to install. When I've asked on forums how to install/uninstall programs, the advice I get always comes in the form of command line instructions. The advice and the commands work, so it's not too bad a situation. But is there not a Windows-esque control panel type interface where I can add and remove programs? The thing is that a newbie like myself finds it hard to figure out on my own what command line instructions work, and with a GUI I at least stand a fighting chance of finding things and making them work.

I'm not sure about the others, but:

4. I don't think you need to defrag in Linux, in fact I don't think there's even a defragging utility. Not 100% sure though.

5. I'm pretty sure that in Fedora, there's a thing similar to Windows' Add/Remove programs. I haven't used FC for a while now, so I couldn't tell you where it is :(. Have a look at this though.

1. YUM and RPM's work hand in hand, YUM is simply a tool to search through lists of RPM's (called repositories). It allows you to search, install, remove etc. the best thing is that it will handle your dependencies, so say you want to install xine, but you need a certain library or codec, going to the website might have seperate RPM's or you might have to compile from source and find the necesary files elsewhere (although i've alays found them documented) however Yum handles all of this for you.

Try here - http://www.fedorafaq.org/#getsoftware There's a default yum.conf file to get YUM running quicky

2. Someone more versed in Linux can help here

3. Almost out of my depth here but alot of things can be loaded into the Kernel as modules, which is much easier.

4. No i believe due to the way Linux writes to the HDD deframenting isn't an issue

5. Yes there is, it depends on whether you are running gnome or KDE as to where to find it, i believe on Gnome it's in the system tools or preferences menu.

Hello Ebisu_Dave.
I'll try to answer to your question 1:
The main diffrence between RPM and YUM is that. :study:

RPM (Read hat Paquage Manager) install only the specified pakage as folowing your options.

YUM (Yellow dog Updater, Modified) is an automatic updater and package installer/remover for rpm-based systems. It automatically computes dependencies and figures out what things should occur in order to safely install, remove, and update rpm packages. Yum also efficiently and easily retrieves information on any package installed or available in a repository to the installer. Yum makes it easier to maintain groups of machines without having to manually update each one using rpm or other tools. Yum can manage package groups, multiple repositories, fallback repositories and more to permit centralized package management performed by just one or two individuals to scale over an entire organization.

So after that, you see.
It's your choise to use the right tools for the right job.

Thank you all for the explanations. I think I have a handle on all of them now except for the problem with the DVD reading.

If someone does not respond in this thread what the possible issues are here, perhaps I should open a new thread specific to this problem, as it's possibly not just a Windows/Linux difference but something particular to my setup.

5. type as root in a cosole, system-config-packages, to get the graphical package selection like the one in anaconda