All these libraries an prerequisites... theres got to be an easier way.
 

So I'm trying to install ProFTPD and I find it on my Mandrake 9.2 AMD64 RC1 CD, check the box for it in rpmdrake and get an error saying needs libxxx whatever so I download that install it, try again then it needs libxxy which i download, but before i can install that I need libxyx and it seems like an endless chain of prerequisite applets and libraries for every little program or update I want to install. There has to be an easier way to do that. I mean can't I just tell Mandrake to install all common libraries I might need. I mean these are all pretty small things, couldn't it just put them all in so most rpms I try to install will be all ready to install?

Or better yet: Mandrake has a great repository of almost every rpm you could possibly need on a mandrake system on their website. Shouldn't it just automatically connect, download, and install all rpms it needs so I wouldn't have to spend my precious time doing it all by hand. I can't believe there isn't an easier way to do this.

Thanks for any suggestions or sympathy.

There already is an application that does just that. It's called apt-get and is a port of the Debian system utility of the same name.

Håkan

Haha, I love the long list of requirements for apt-get. I'll get started on downloading those. Thanks for the tip.

This looks pretty tricky..... And it doesn't seem to be working either, I downloaded apt-0.5.5cnc6-2mdk.i586.rpm from mandrake and after saticfying a couple requirements it installed without complaining, but I can't really find it anywhere, theres no documentation so I don't know what to do from here. It also seems there is no GUI. Call me a newbie (and I am) but programs without GUI's are clumsy and not easy to use.

Is there no other solution? I just can't believe something that seems this simple and straight forward (on the surface anyway) hasn't been done in a simple and straight forward way.

well your right there is no gui (right away that is), its a command line tool, and you use :
apt-get install whateverprogram
to install something
but you must run :
apt-get update first, since you just installed it ... even if you didn't type that i thinnk it will error out and tell you, you have to anyways ...

but as of the gui, when you first to the update, right after that type :
apt-get install synaptic
and when its done you can either :
a) type synaptic in command line and it will load up
or .
b) make a shortcut to synaptic to your menu, or desktop

If you are an Mdk user, you already have an excellent download and install system on your system - Urpmi.

Tyoe in 'man urpmi' for more info and then search LQ (or www.google.com/linux) for 'EasyUrpmi' which sets it up for you.