LinuxQuestions.org

LinuxQuestions.org (/questions/)
-   Ubuntu (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/ubuntu-63/)
-   -   New Xubuntu User - general package management query (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/ubuntu-63/new-xubuntu-user-general-package-management-query-537980/)

erraticassassin 03-16-2007 06:50 AM

New Xubuntu User - general package management query
 
Morning all. I'm a longtime Slackware user looking at a possible switch to Xubuntu. Basically, I like Slack a lot, but I'm looking at setting up an audio workstation and have neither the knowledge nor the patience required to compile all the various components from scratch, so I'd prefer something with a solid package management system to do the donkey work for me.

However...

I'm stuck with dialup at home for now, so downloading tons of packages to customise a basic Xubuntu installation will take forever. I have access to broadband at work, but only from Windows machines. Finally, I have several PCs at home which i'd like to install Xubuntu on if all goes well.

Ideally, I'd like to download the packages I need at work using the broadband and burn them to a CD, so I don't have to download the entire package set individually on each machine. Is there a simple way to do this and resolve all dependencies, or is it just a case of browsing the repositories and manually following the dependency trail for each package?

I understand that the finer granularity of packages used by Debian-based distributions compared to Slackware helps resolve dependencies, but when even relatively simple programs seem to need dozens of supporting packages, it don't half make manual downloads laborious...

Thanks for listening...

hrp2171 03-16-2007 12:10 PM

If you have an extra computer or available space on your computer, you could install Ubuntu at work. Then instead of installing the packages you need when using the Package Manager, select the Download packages only option. That way you can just burn them to CD and take them home.

At my work place, we have a Novell BorderManager proxy and I cannot use anything but Windows to surf the 'net. Reason being that BorderManager runs a special executable on everyone's machine that tells it who can and cannot access the 'net. If you have direct, non-restricted access to the 'net at work, then you're in luck. I tried to run openSuSe but the BorderManager does not have a way to authenticate Linux users, yet. Novell has been so tight lip about the Novell Client for Linux that is making me sick. For a company that just recently acquired a Linux Distribution, they're sure not very open with their long standing products.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:05 PM.