Are Linux software packages compatible on all Linux Distributions?
 

I was wondering if all packages that are meant specific Linux distributions are compatible with all distributions of Linux? I think that makes sense. To simplify, for instance if I installed a minimalist Linux distribution could I still install wine or is wine based on bigger Linux distributions like Redhat Fedora and Ubuntu?

you can install from source, but packages are pretty much distro specific... However you can use debian packages in ubuntu and mint and other debian derivatives etc...

No, not usually. The vast majority of software packages out there rely on many different libraries and services within the operating system to function, and when they are compiled for a particular distribution they are built to use the specific versions of those libraries that are included with that distro. So in general, software compiled for one distribution may not work as expected (or at all) on another distribution.

The only exceptions to this are very simple programs that use the basic libraries included in any Linux OS, or programs which are statically linked to their libraries. In the case of a static program, the libraries it needs are actually built into the program itself, so it doesn't matter of the operating system includes them. But programs built in this manner are generally larger and harder to maintain, so it is usually avoided.

They are not compatible. Don't go there. Packages have many pre-req's and are satisfied only on the distro, and release they were compiled for. There are a few packages, you might get away with installing on a different distro, but there are no guarantees. I have used a few .rpm packages on Mandriva. rpm's are form RedHat. Mandy uses a similar package format.

If you did start to mix packages, sooner or later you would have some very difficult to identify bugs to fix.

In short, always use packages intended for your distro and release.

ok tyvm. If I use LFS, does its packages allow me a better chance at installing packages that may have been meant for specific distributions? I'm not a Linux Xpert. I can troubleshoot Linux though (and it may take hours and hours) but really, so long as I don't have to type a password for sudo, encryption, and root ten million times to do three different tasks, I don't mind troubleshooting.
To presuppose that the answer is no, other than Fedora or Ubuntu, what distros offer good stability (insofar as one might call it so) with Wine? I want to learn Linux to a greater skill level, but at the same time I'm an avid WoW player and I want to be able to play it on the same box without a dual installation.

In general, no.There are some things like alien that can convert from one package manager format to another, but it is an act of desperation to go down that route. If you are lucky, it just won't work and you'll give up. If you aren't lucky, it will seem to work but you'll have a low frequency of irritating mystery problems over an extended period of time...

Using stuff provided by your distro is a much better idea.

Most distros will have wine available. Normally, the next best option for something that isn't in your distro's repositories is an independent repository for your distro. Given what your package manager does for you, stick to using the package manager, if you can.

The next best option is probably to build it yourself from sources. The next best option is a package for a closely related distro. Only then, comes converting packages.

I run Mandriva, I believe it to be more stable than Fedora. I have tried Ubuntu, Kubuntu, and Xubuntu. The are O.K. I did not find the tools that come with them to be as good as Mandriva.

I have installed Firefox from Mozilla's site VMware from sun, and Google Earth from Google. These are the types of apps that can be successfully installed from other sources. VMWare and Firefox are in the repos for Mandriva. The version of VMWare in the repos does not allow you to use USB devices on Vbox. None of these has created any instability on my system. However, I know the risks as well as anyone. I also fix ( or try to ) what ever I mess up. So there are some exceptions.

Wine will be in the repos for all major distros. So, what ever you decide to install, get it there.