After using Debian GNU/Linux and Kubuntu Linux (a fork of Debian) for years with Windows and Mac OS X, I realized that I had forgotten why it’s not a very good idea to try to install programs without a proper package manager and outside of distribution’s own repositories.
The story goes like this: I recently came across with a KDE application called KBib, which (as you may guess), aims to maintain BibTeX databases. The feature list of KBib looked so tempting that I decided to install it. The first thing was to search Ubuntu application repositories. Unfortunately, no luck there (I found somehow similar application, KBibTeX, but just for curiosity, I wanted to have KBib). Ok, next step was to check a homepage of KBib whether there would be a package for Debian or Ubuntu. No luck there either, only source code and rpm packages for Fedora and openSuse. After searching some forum posts, I found instructions how to install KBib on Ubuntu. And this was the point, I got a flashback to the beginning of this century when I tried to compile all kind of applications from source code for some early Red Hat version. The result usually was a jungle of unmet dependencies and finally, sometimes, a running application which usually crashed because of a wrong version of library xyz in which the application was linked to.
However, despite these memories, I decided to continue. And see, after all, the process was now a bit easier because all the dependencies were available from Ubuntu repositories and there was a need to install only something like 20+ packages (KDE development libraries, build-essential, libpoppler-dev, libpoppler-qt-dev, libcairomm-1.0-dev, libcairomm-1.0-1, and checkinstall). Obviously, I had to install these one by one iterating the instructions, configure script and make process because the configuration and compilation processes stop on the first unmet dependency they find (no way that they would inform the all unmet dependencies at the very beginning). Well, after searching Google, configuring, searching Google, compiling, searching Google, installing, searching Google, and installing again, I finally have the application up and running. It seems to crash only occasionally, especially searching feature seems to be rather unstable. But who would care about these minor issues when you have had a possibility to refresh these nice memories from old good times.
I wonder how is it ever going to make it for ‘an average computer user’. Think of a scientist (non-cs) who just wants on his newly installed Ubuntu (“guys told me it is cool and free”) use KBib. He will call YOU!
And, btw., congratulations, well done!
Roman. Most applications come very nicely from the repositories either with one simple command or then from nice GUI.
Easy installation of (most) programs is one of the reason why I like linux.
Well, I have to admit that this particular fight between me and OS will not turn me into Mac yet. For the average user, I would of course recommend to stay on KBibTeX or some other tool availabe from normal repositories. These should be very easy to install as Jussi mentioned. And as I feel that I’m quite an average user, I will definitely stay on these pre-packed programs in the future. In the case that there are source packages available with proper compilation settings for Debian systems (like e-tobi’s packages for VDR), I can also consider to compile it by myself.
Here is how the installation from a repository goes (user commands with bold):
ilkka@cspc73:~$ apt-cache search bibtex[...]
bibtool - tool for BibTeX database manipulation
gbib - user-friendly editor and browser for BibTeX databases
kbibtex - BibTeX editor for KDE
[...]
ilkka@cspc73:~$ sudo apt-get install kbibtex
[...]
ilkka@cspc73:~
As Jussi mentioned, these two operations can be done also with a GUI, but I was just now at home so I had to rely on terminal over SSH connection.
I love listening to war stories like this. They’re the glue that keeps the Linux community together! Oh, don’t let me even begin talking about me and
Gentoo. That’s one true love-hate relationship (Gentoo–can’t live with it, can’t uninstall it).
I’ve now found very good way to live and learn new things with Linux. Ilkka is very good on spotting new software, so I pop in his office once in while and ask for the best ones. Then he will also tell me how the installation went and other such things. Since both of us are using same distro this is very convenient. So, Ilkka does all the experimenting, and I collect the ripe fruits.
Oh. By the way. It was a real surprise for me that there is no such things as repositories (or even anything similar) in the Mac World! I thought Mac World is almost utopia for computer users…
Hey congratulations Ilka!!!!
And interesting highlight Jussi
You know guys, on my side when this type of topics pop, it just assures me I didn’t study computer science. Hehehehe!
The idea to have control of the system is just appealing and motivating a nice challenge to conquer. However, it takes a lot of time.
Abusing a bit from your technical knowledge and interests, I would like to ask if someone of you has done something using Xcode . I would like to spend sometimes with it, but if someone has done something in advance I would like to exchange some comments. But I guess it will be for my next holidays.
Jussi about the repositories, well I am not 100% what do you refer to. However in webobjects and the Xserver managed repositories or an integration to them. Go to support webpage on mac and even set your question there.
Of course there are repositories. Check out fink.