How do YOU manage software?

I was wondering how Slackware users like to manage their software. I basically wanted to poll the slackers out there and ask:

How do you manage your software and why is it your choice?

I've been using the checkinstall program up until recently. I haven't had any problems with it. I like to use package management and I also like to compile my own binaries. I found it to be a quick "best-of-both-worlds" scenario. Lately I've been looking at making packages using makepkg. I've had decent success but there seems to be a few different ways to do it. To me... checkinstall is much faster, but I understand the makepkg method is cleaner. In the past few days I've noticed this come up in a few different threads but only as an aside to answering a specific question or problem.

When I was an absolute newbie to Slackware, the whole software management thing was a turn-off. I did test it and now I can't imagine any other way. I'm sure there are plenty of newbies to Slackware that went through what I went through and are just looking for opinions rather than instructions.

So if you get a spare minute, vote in the poll and put in a little blurb about why you choose to manage software that way.

I appreciate your time!

slaptget/gslapt

I just do what seems to be the easiest for that app. So, I voted in 4 categories.

Poll should be up now. You got me before I finished it.

I'm actually in the process of trying slapt-get. I shy away from it, though because I switched from Fedora Core 4 and had a few bad experiences with yum. I realize it's not yum so I'm trying it and giving it a fair shot. I have developed a liking for checkinstall. But I'm trying all options before sticking to a "standard model."

I'm anal about my computer so when I get something I like I'll stick with it exclusively.

Nice touch making it checkboxes instead of buttons. Mine are the top two: a vast majority of default packages with linuxpackages filling (most of) the the gaps.

Would you include this in Package Manager?
emerde http://emerde.freaknet.org/
pkgsrc http://users.piuha.net/martti/comp/s...slackware.html
I'd love to hear of people using them and their experiences/opinions (but don't want to make this offtopic)

Originally Posted by mannyslack Would you include this in Package Manager? emerde http://emerde.freaknet.org/ pkgsrc http://users.piuha.net/martti/comp/s...slackware.html I'd love to hear of people using them and their experiences/opinions (but don't want to make this offtopic)

Actually, it really isn't all that offtopic. I'd love to hear about what people use even though I personally use source.

I took a little while to set up the poll because I was originally adding in choices for every possible method of software management. Most choices were the package managers. I now realize that what I was considering a package manager is actually a package manager that has some flexibility with dependency management. Either way, I obviously don't know every single one out there and didn't want to be exclusionary, so I lumped them into that last category less I need to add one every time I find a new one.

I will attempt to alter the poll to change the package manager option to "Package Manger w/Dependency Check." I can't list every one out there at least in the poll, but the ones I've found so far are:

- Swaret
- slapt-get
- slackpkg
- SlackUpdate
- Emerde
- stratdate (though this only seems to be for distro-upgrade)
- pkgsrc (thanks mannyslack!)

I understand RPM and APT can also be used but require a little more attention. If you have used it or use it currently just choose the Package Manager and let us know which one it is.

Thanks for participating!

FOLLOW-UP: I can't change the poll myself... and it's probably better that it's the rule. But as long as you know what I mean by "Package Manager"

I use rsync to maintain my own local mirror of -current.

I run a script that checks for changes on the mirror I use for downloads and if any are present, I then run an option for download which completes the syncing of my mirror to -current. Then I run a small and very amateur script for upgrading my install. Packages are upgraded using upgradepkg. I read the changelogs before any upgrade to see if I need to install any added or renamed packages using installpkg. Some day I'll clean it up and add some features. Works fine for me now.

I use checkinstall for most builds I do myself. This is because I run -current and a modified freerock and many packages are built on a pristine 10.2. -current is so far from 10.2 now, I'm better off building my own. There are a few things I use slack-build scripts for and there are some places I trust for good packages - even these will have issues from time to time though. I roll my own more and more now.

I do not see the need for slapt-get or swaret or anything else of that nature. I use Slackware because I like knowing what's on my machine. Using repositories kind of defeats that purpose - for me any how.

I have a script which checks the changelog every morning. Then I use slackpkg to upgrade. Checkinstall to install from source.

Got it zetabill, thanks for explaining. I think this is a really interesting poll/post.
Isnt it amazing the number of ways/package managers there are for a distro that many people think lacks "package manager"?
It feels great not to be tied to apt/portage/urpmi/yast/yum/pkgtool...etc
With Slackware, you can do it your way!

slackpkg is pretty sweet. i read the changelogs first tho, and go from there.

Slackware really "clicked" for me once I started using checkinstall. Prior to that I used linuxpackages.net or make install, but neither were a good solution. I found a lot of non-functional packages on LP, and make install doesn't always guarantee a clean uninstall. I've never had a problem uninstalling a package I made with checkinstall.

I also discovered how much I like building from source - you get to set up any options yourself, and you have a better idea of what you're doing to your system. Unofficial binaries bother me. I won't touch swaret.

slapt-get for regular packages and just plain source compiling/installing for non-standard packages. I do maintain a log for them very simple though, just some output/error redirection.

I generally use slackpkg for single updates (e.g. firefox)

checkinstall for tarballs or *.tgzs from LinuxPackages

I just search the googlewebnet for a package.. if I find it, I download and install... if it works I keep if not.. I search again. If I dont find what I am looking for, I install from source and use checkinstall.