Installing programs on Linux is a NIGHTMARE
 

Okay, so I have had Linux running now as main my OS for 1 week and I have spent that week pretty much 24/7 learning everything I can and trying to be as patient as I can.

But really I have to say at this point I am SERIOUSLY looking at getting back to windows.

Whatever I try to do I cannot solve this problem -

INSTALLING PROGRAMS ON LINUX IS A TOTAL AND COMPLETE NIGHTMARE.

In windows - this easy, you download, you doubleclick, and before you know it you are using the program or playing the game.

Is it this way in Linux? NO.

I try out rpms -

Okay, to be fair two of them installed fine, then I get the thord and the fourth, then the fifth, then the sixth, and what do they need? DEPENDENCYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
At first I was very very very patient with this, I go, I download the dependencys, do I care that it takes me two hours to find them all? NO
So happily I install EVERY dependency, and guess what, it gets to the last one, and THAT has dependencys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So - patient again - I get the dependecys for that, a BIG list of them - then?????????
Yep youve guessed it - THEY have dependencys too!!!
I mean what is the deal with this???? Do I need to spend the next 40 years finding various different files so I can play a game of tetris or check my email???
THIS SYSTEM IS INSANE.

So, next I try tarballs -

Okay, I will try to stay polite with this one because the word "tarball" now makes me want to spend hours swearing and screaming at my computer.
The SAME issues occur with this, DEPENDENCYS!!!!!!!!!!!! ARGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
I mean do I have to rebuild my entire OS just to install something???

Does anyone, anywhere, have the soloution for this problem???
Because if I not Im going back to M$, windows may be full of holes, but I dont need to give up my life to install a game on it.

You are doing things the hard way! YaST2 has a package tool which does all the dependencies for you. Run YaST and look for the installing packages option.

TIM

Huh? how do you do that? Is that in the online update?

Presumably you are in fact using SuSE 9.1 ?

If so, then when using the Software Installation part of Yast, make sure you tick the box that says "Automatically Resolve Dependencies" (or something similar - I'm logged into Debian at the moment). That should pretty much solve your RPM problems.

As for tar.gz. source files, well, the other way to do it is to use 'source' RPM's (i.e. install the matching file with .SRC.RPM as the final part of the filename).

Cheers,

mj

I cant see a box that says automaticcly resolve dependecy issues, also what are source rpms? where do you get them and how do you install them?

Thanks :)

Hi LP,

To give a slightly fuller answer, I have not used SuSE for some time as I use Debian. Like you I started off wanting to install all sorts of stuff I was reading about and started compiling from source. The problem is the SuSE is just not set up for compiling - it is missing so many development tools it takes an age to set up - if you don't want to use the RPMs they give you, you are going to dig yourself into a hole. I'm not sure if using source RPMs would help this situation, but if you just want the thing to work then they are not for you.

As I said, I started out trying to do the dependencies manually and got in a mess - the thing is that because there is an automatic dependency resolver on there they assume it makes no difference if the dependencies get horriby complicated.

I hope you are not put off by first impressions. Some of my colleagues use SuSE and say it works a treat once you get a handle on it - believe me, once you get this stuff working it is the Windows installation that will seem to be a pain, and dependencies will be your friend, not your enemy. ;-)

TIM

Do you know how to make yast do the work to find the dependencys? I just cant see any soloution to this, I think Im gonna have to go back to windows :(

Actually, just to add to averus' comment, SuSE 9.1 doesn't come with either the GCC compiler, or any of the standard libraries needed to compile most programs. So yes, you'd need to install these first (just search for "gcc" from inside Yast) before you could compile any .tar.gz files.

The tick-box to automatically resolve dependencies should be on the bottom right, in the Software Installation module of Yast.

Cheers,

mj

Yeah I did that already, but every single tarball ive tried to install has said I need another dependency, then that needs a dependency and on and on and on.......I guess this is one of those crazy infity things....man I miss windows

Does anyone else feel that linux for the desktp is like one of those holidays you go on to find out the hotel is only half built?

No,not at all.
But I do not understand why some come here to post in an anxious rush with lost paitience threatening to go back to windows.....go ahead,who cares.
Now on the other hand,if you want help you need to do a few things...one and mainly...read read read.
Before jumping into a distro ya should have researched there FAQ's and forums to see how involved it is.
Im sure suse as well as some other main distros have an excellent faq and install read me as well as explanations on its features most undoubtedly yast.
Yast like fedora's Yum,gentoos portage,debians apt-get etc etc handle installing software quite easily.Dependancy handleing varies upon different distros but they for the most part all do a pretty good job when there setup correctly...of course setting them up correctly takes some reading.
I happend to like debian based distros...apt-get along side of debians maintainers just works.

No, not really. It's more like an adventure where you can do whatever you want and not be confined to any set path. :)

If you're compiling tarballs, you're probably going to end up needing a lot of development libraries, which may be frustrating for someone new to Linux, as has been said previously by a few people. It may be easier to go with your distro's packages.

Other than that, I don't know too many details about SuSE. Debian's apt-get handles dependencies like a charm.

Hope things get better.

linux is more like a manual transmission..
windoze is the automatic.

there are several advantages ov an automatic transmission -- if you don't know how to drive a stick.

you have much more control over the vehicle with a manual -- but you have to know how to do it.

debian has apt-get.. try knoppix live cd.
say you want to play the game pingus < love that game.

you'd simply type (as root)
apt-get install pingus

and in about 1 minute.. not only will it find it on the web.. but install and configure it for you..
then you go to your user account and type
pingus

blango.. you're on.

take a step back.. take a deep breath.. and decide if you want to learn how to drive a stick..

otherwise.. do something else to make yourself happy.. there's no reason to get frustrated.. life is too short.

slackware has slapt-get -- works very similar to apt-get..

knoppix is very easy to install..
slackware is a bit more complicated.. but has greater granularity ov control...

people here will be more than happy to help you.. i've gotten to be fairly proficient at some things.. but i'll warn you this..
i am a professional computer technician.. i've been working for 12 years on SCO and Unisys UNIX, HP-UX, Windoze NT - XP/ DOS, and i still feel like i have no *explative deleted* idea what im doing sometimes..

the choice is yours.

I love driving with a stick :D
So much better engine/ traction control.

Ah yes, but you aren't normally given the entire plans to the hotel, and all the tools needed to modify anything you so desire, are you...

It is getting a bit warm around here, though. I'd better leave before another canonball comes flying past ;)

Cheers,

mj