LinuxQuestions.org
Help answer threads with 0 replies.
Home Forums Tutorials Articles Register
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Software
User Name
Password
Linux - Software This forum is for Software issues.
Having a problem installing a new program? Want to know which application is best for the job? Post your question in this forum.

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 02-23-2006, 07:33 PM   #1
Ak1ra
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Feb 2006
Distribution: SuSe 10.0
Posts: 6

Rep: Reputation: 0
XFree86 and X's with SuSe 10.0


I'm still a novice in linux and SuSe 10.0 was the first distro I've installed. Checking some applications requirements, like Thunderbird and Media Player, I've noticed they ask for XFree86.

No problem, I head to the official site, read the readme's and stuff and downloaded the right version. Now when I start installing it says I'm already running a X "something"...

Can someone explain to me if I really need to install XFree86, and the differences beetween the one I already have and this free86?
 
Old 02-25-2006, 05:58 AM   #2
stress_junkie
Senior Member
 
Registered: Dec 2005
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Distribution: Ubuntu 10.04 and CentOS 5.5
Posts: 3,873

Rep: Reputation: 335Reputation: 335Reputation: 335Reputation: 335
SuSE comes with either XFree86 or Xorg installed. The both do the same job and they are both compatible with any X software. If you have Xorg then you don't need XFree86.

Both of these software packages form the base of the X windows system. Window managers and desktop environments run on top of XFree86 or Xorg. If you think in terms of the parts of a house then XFree86 and Xorg form the foundation, walls, and plumbing. The window managers and desktop environments form the appliances and furniture.

Lastly, with SuSE in particular, you are always better off to see if a software package that you want to install is already available on the SuSE installation media. You do this by starting YaST, selecting the option to add and remove software packages, and entering the name of the software that you want to install in the search box. If it is available then you should use the version that somes with SuSE. There are a couple of reasons to choose this method whenever it is available. First, the version that comes with your distribution has been checked by Novell to see if it will work. Second, Novell may have made some modifications to make that software work with SuSE. Third, SuSE keeps track of any patches that are available with the particular version of applications that come with their distribution, but they don't keep track of patches for newer versions of the same software. Therefore, if you install the software package from the SuSE installation disks then when you run YaST Online Update (YOU) then any patches that are available for that version of the software will be applied to your system. If you upgrade a version of the same software by downloading an installation kit from the Internet then SuSE will not keep track of patches for that version. You will have to look for patches to the software yourself and apply the patches yourself.

So, as far as SuSE is concerned, you are much better off installing software from the SuSE installation disks whenever a package that you want to install is available from SuSE. This is also true of many other distributions such as Debian, Gentoo, and Vector Linux.
 
Old 02-26-2006, 02:34 PM   #3
Ak1ra
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Feb 2006
Distribution: SuSe 10.0
Posts: 6

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
Thank you
 
  


Reply



Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Looking for a Program like OS X's Exposé drj000 Linux - Software 3 09-29-2005 12:32 AM
Setting X's resolution by hand eantoranz Ubuntu 12 06-29-2005 09:35 PM
memory types - what's what: vm resident shared rss X's jonaskoelker Linux - Software 2 05-26-2005 04:59 AM
Viewing webpage cranks up X's CPU usage slackist Linux - General 1 04-24-2004 08:28 AM
can`t start X's antoniorv Linux - General 1 02-25-2004 02:00 AM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Software

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:58 AM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration