Gnome 2.0 on Redhat 7.3
 

Well, installed the long awaited Gnome 2.0- but I have a couple qualms.

Firstly, since I am using redhat I figured I would just upgrade the Gnome 1.4 rpm packages. Well, I was a little confused on what packages to use. I figured logically it would be in 'ftp.gnome.org/pub/GNOME/2.0.0/redhat/i386/', but that didn't seem to be the case. So I ended up using the rpm's from 'ftp.gnome.org/pub/GNOME/2.0.0/snapshots/redhat-73-i386/RPMS/' - I just wanted some confirmation that I got the right ones (otherwise point me in the right direction).

Secondly, when I went to upgrade of course I ran into some dependences- not finding any resolutions and with a loss of patience (perhaps a loss of my head as well) - I decided to ignore the dependecies and replace all files.

It installed ok, but now it seems not to be the most stable - and at times it seems to loose my prefrences and such.

So I think what I am going to do is completely remove all Gnome packages- and then install Gnome 2.0 over again (given I have the right files) - otherwise I'll just download, compile and install from source.

Any thoughts, suggestions or answers are appreciated, thanks.

Well, I'm not sure if it was for RH7.2, but I've seen RH packages at ximian.

I've checked out Ximian, but haven't had any luck finding anything I haven't already seen.

These RPM packages can drive me nuts sometimes- Maybe I should just learn how to package the source into RPMs, I tried doing that with something else before but couldn't totally figure it out.

I figure the rpm packages I got were developer snapshots- and not the stable release.

If you don't want to compile it from source, maybe wait a week. Give the people chance to pack GNOME :)
I've checked it, and I can't find the packets. So the only solution is to wait.

Not so much that I don't want to compile the source - just that I want to stick with the RPM packages for the reason that gnome 1.4 is currently installed that way, and I don't think it would be such a good idea to just upgrade to 2.0 by just compiling the source and installing - which would overwrite the 1.4 packages.

I was actually just reading up on how to create RPM packages- it doesn't look too difficult. I might just try it that way, otherwise I guess I'll wait.

When compiling from source you can specify path where to install it. If you choose /usr/local it won't overwrite your current Gnome version.

I was thinking that you weren't able to have 1.4 and 2.0 on your machine at the same time, but now that I re-read the line:

I think I was just under the wrong impression

I even think it can be possible to develop for both versions. It may require some work (separate installations etc), but I can't see why it's impossible. Well.. It depends what you mean by "simultaneuously"...

Yea, I couldn't see why either... I don't think I know what I ment by simultaneuosly.

I'm just being cautious b/c I use Linux as my main OS and I tend to screw around too much and spend a lot of time fixing what I messed up, hopefully I can get a hold of an old comp just to fool around on and test stuff out like this.

Maybe 2 installs: one for work and the second one to test things before you use it in the other one?

I am under the impression that Gnome 2.0 is a developer release; it's not a tried and true mature revision. As such, I would not touch it with a ten foot pole on anything but a testbed computer system or partition. With the large hdds available today, it makes a lot of sense for a hobbyist to have a partition set aside for testing. It's great fun and a great learning tool, without screwing up the primary OS. And, it the testbed partition gets hosed it is a simple matter to reinstall the OS. Another way to do this is with removable hdd trays, keeping one system rock solid and another hdd for testing and stuff.

Well I for one am waiting until GNOME settles down before upgrading from 1.4 because apparently many people have had problems with preferences being lost, nautilus crashing etc. Not sure if this is FUD or not, but I'm not messing about with it just yet. :)

I think I'll probably wait until GNOME 2 gets into Debian Testing before upgrading - this will be after Woody gets released at the very earliest so I imagine I will still be using 1.4 this time next year :p

how do you install gnome 2 from source; is there an install.sh file or do i have to get all of the source files and install each one individually?

is it best to install gnome 2 over an existing 1.4 installation or start from scratch.

Gnome source is in many packages, you need to get them and compile one by one.
Or with rpms: install rpms one by one :)

After reading many reviews of Gnome 2.0 and hearing that many of the problems I experienced with the developer snapshots are present in the final release- as impatient as I am, I think I am going to hold off for a while until I hear some better news.