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-   -   Packages, modules, and RPM (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/packages-modules-and-rpm-697826/)

WindsorKnot 01-16-2009 06:57 PM
Packages, modules, and RPM
 
Also, I'm going to need help with this whole packages business. Unless it's yet another one of those things I've convinced myself is more complicated than it really is.

So what is a "package" in the Linux sense? Is it anything more than an application; software that can do things the kernel cain't? But then why isn't it just called an application. Or is it called pkg because it's "packaged" with the source files, pursuant to the GPL't terms?

Modules!! Are they the same as packages; or are they literal modules of code within the package. Or are they neither and I'm messing things up again (nice going).

Also, I heard the term RPM in reference to packages available for Ubuntu and susE and someone... I thought RPM was Redhat Package Manager - it's not RedHat-specific?

Confusing this Linux stuff is. At least at first.

alan_ri 01-16-2009 07:54 PM
Quote:
A software package refers to computer software packaged in an archive format to be installed by a package management system or a self-sufficient installer.
Linux distributions are normally segmented into packages. Each package contains a specific application or service. Examples of packages include a library for handling the PNG image format, a collection of fonts, or a web browser.
The package is typically provided as compiled code, with installation and removal of packages handled by a package management system (PMS) rather than a simple file archiver. Each package intended for such a PMS contains meta-information such as a package description, version, and "dependencies". The package management system can evaluate this meta-information to allow package searches, to perform an automatic upgrade to a newer version, to check that all dependencies of a package are fulfilled and/or to fulfill them automatically.
Quote:
The Linux kernel modules are piece of codes, which can be dynamically linked to the kernel (according to the need), even after the system bootup. They can be unlinked from the kernel and removed when they are no longer needed. Mostly the Linux kernel modules are used for device drivers or pseudo-device drivers such as network drivers or file system. When a Linux kernel module is loaded, it becomes a part of the Linux kernel as the normal kernel code and functionality and it posses the same rights and responsibilities as the kernel code.
Quote:
RPM Package Manager (Red Hat Package Manager, abbreviated RPM) is a package management system.[1] The name RPM refers to two things: a software package file format, and software packaged in this format. RPM was intended primarily for Linux distributions; the file format RPM is the baseline package format of the Linux Standard Base.
Originally developed by Red Hat for Red Hat Linux, RPM is now used by many Linux distributions. It has also been ported to some other operating systems, such as Novell NetWare (as of version 6.5 SP3) and IBM's AIX as of version 4.
Also,you can install .rpm packages on Debian based systems,actually there are a few things that you can't do with Linux.

WindsorKnot 01-16-2009 07:59 PM
Yep. That's what I meant to say.

;-P

dasy2k1 01-16-2009 08:18 PM
note debian and its related offspring (ubuntu mint and a few others) use DEB pakages rather then RPM but they do effectivly the same thing


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