Linux options for each release version __linux

Original source: http://www.dnwx.cn/system/wz877.asp

Because of its "free" and "open" features, Linux has spawned hundreds of different distributions. The so-called distribution, is in the Linux kernel packaging some software, such as our common Redhat Linux, Red Flag Linux, Mandrake Linux and so on, its essence?? The kernel is still the same. However, due to the different distribution of user groups, often in the use of a large difference.

Because the most exposed to Linux is its peripheral software, a variety of Linux distributions for the management of the software is an important factor to weigh. For an operating system, you can't have a decent package manager.

Without the help of the package manager, the creator of the operating system release will face the challenge of installing, upgrading, uninstalling, and releasing software packages that are also cumbersome and system management prone to problems; instead, with specialized package managers, software makers are easy to make and distribute their own software, For the average user, the installation and maintenance of the package will become very convenient. In this way, the promotion of an operating system will also play a good role in promoting.

I divide Linux's software management into three categories:

① software package management method based on RPM;
② software package Management method based on Deb;
③ Software management based on source code. Here are the three categories to talk about my understanding and feelings.

RPM is a release of the software package management approach: RPM is the abbreviation for Redhat Package manager, meaning Redhat (Red Hat) package Manager. This type of distribution has the highest number of users and the largest user community. There are well-known foreign countries such as Redhat Linux, Mandrake Linux, SuSE Linux, the domestic red flag Linux,magic Linux, the successful bidder, such as Pu-hua Linux.

Install the software under this kind of Linux, usually choose the RPM package that has already compiled, install with the RPM command, the system will automatically untie the software package and copy it to the corresponding directory, and add the information of the software package to the system database. If you later want to uninstall some software, also use the RPM command plus parameter-E, the system will query the database, and delete the relevant files and directories.

installation, removal software is also more convenient, coupled with the Internet can download the number of RPM software packages are very large, the use of more people so easy to communicate, so this kind of distribution as the user's first choice to get started appears very good. The author here Redhat Linux (and later Fedora) and Magic Linux, one is a foreign distribution, one is domestic. After all, RPM is their own products, there is a huge user base, software compatibility is better, and other distributions are always more or less change to reflect their own "characteristics", which will easily appear compatibility problems, that is, people often say "package dependency problem."

The domestic distribution of the Choice Magic Linux, mainly because Magic Linux is a group of enthusiasts to get out of Linux, not much commercialization of the drive, the Linux itself to change very little, more easily let people realize what is "pure" Linux, Support for Chinese is also very good. And the Red Flag Linux and the winning of Pu-Hua Linux too much imitation of Windows, the original Linux changes are very large, as mentioned earlier, the greater the change, the more likely to appear in the future software compatibility problems, the author in this point is deeply experienced.

Of course, the undeniable RPM package management method also has its drawbacks, the most important is the "package dependency problem" mentioned above. Since some software is running with the support of other software, the system will check whether the software it needs is installed when installing the package with the RPM command, and if you find that a package it relies on is not installed, the installer will quit and let you install other software first. It is also possible to have dependency problems when installing other software ... Can imagine how troublesome it is. Although the RPM command provides the "force install" option, the "Force install" software is hard to work with unless you have a lot of certainty.

To address this annoying problem, some distributions use their own solutions, such as Mandrake Linux added a front-end interface on the RPM basis, and found that dependency problem is that it automatically searches the specified Web site and downloads the installation; Fedora provides a front-end program called Yum, When an RPM dependency problem is found, it is also downloaded and installed on the specified Web site.

However, Redhat Linux 9 and its previous versions do not provide such functionality. Thankfully, there is an apt package manager that is porting from Debian Linux to Redhat Linux, and you can find your own APT Package Manager on the http://apt.freshrpms.net/, download and install it. It can solve the dependency problem better. As for the specific use of APT, readers can access the relevant information themselves.

A version of the package management approach based on Deb: This software package is mainly used in Debian Linux, the current domestic distribution such as New Wahwa Radium Linux, Hiweed-debian Linux is also used in this way. Debian Linux provides a variety of tools for package management, and what I know is:

L Dselect-Package management tools using the menu interface (top-level package management tools)
L DPKG-Installation packages (files in the management package)
L Apt-get-installation package (Management software package, CLI apt)
L Tasksel-Installation Task Suite (manage a set of packages for a particular aspect of the task)
L Aptitude-Installation packages (Management software packages and task kits, ncurses APT)
L deity-another kind of ncurses APT
L Synaptic, Gsynaptic-another GUI APT

In free software, the number of software packages to Deb is the highest. Debian Linux itself is developed by volunteers from around the world, and the concept is closest to the Linux nature. Its package management is more advanced than RPM from the date of birth, it can be said that there is almost no dependency problem, when you encounter the lack of software packages will automatically download from the Internet or prompts you to need which CD, and because of this, we say that Debian Linux is very dependent on the network.

Under Debian Linux, the Deb package is a good choice for both developers and end users. Debian Linux's software is extremely rich, and the growth rate is increasing year by step, the most important thing is that the release of Debian packages under the strict testing, so the stability of Debian Linux is almost first-class. The advanced package management of Debian Linux also creates an extremely simple and easy way to upgrade online--just one command. You don't have to worry about getting your Linux outdated and reinstalling a new version of Linux,debian Linux can do all of this automatically.

Source-based Software management distributions: This type of Linux distribution is less than that of other distributions. The typical Gentoo linux,lfs (Strictly LFS is not a Linux distribution). Take Gentoo Linux For example, it's very flexible. Gentoo Linux can compile a complete Linux operating system from source code on a computer that has nothing, or install a compiled package like any other distribution.

Gentoo Linux installation of the source code software is very convenient, as long as a emerge command, the system will automatically compile the installation, if you need other software support, Gentoo Linux will first download and install from the Internet. Because Gentoo Linux installs the software usually to compile the source code, therefore spends a lot of time.

For example, you have to install OpenOffice from the source code, the best way is to start installation at 10 o'clock in the evening, the next morning after waking up in general can be installed on the ^_^. But from the source code installation has incomparable benefits, one is to make you more aware of the principles of Linux, and then because it is compiled on their own computer software, compiled binary code is certainly more suitable for their own machines, running faster than the installation of precompiled software is much faster. So sometimes it's worthwhile to take some time.

As mentioned earlier, Lfs,lfs is the abbreviation for Linux from scratch, which is purely compiled from the source code of the operating system. To install it, you need to have a Linux and an installation manual installed beforehand. Following the instructions in the installation manual to download the appropriate source code on the Web, compiling another Linux that can run independently on an existing Linux system sounds challenging. LFS installation is the most difficult, and it simply does not have the concept of a package.

LFS is completely controlled by you, and when you successfully install LFS, you will have a deeper understanding of Linux.

Summary: If you have just contacted Linux, may wish to choose the first category, RPM package a lot, in China is also very popular, encountered problems are easy to consult, I recommend to Redhat Linux, Fedora or Magic Linux to get started. If you are a user of Linux and value convenience and stability, Debian Linux is naturally your first choice.

If you think you have a certain understanding of Linux, want to better "play" Linux, or want to use Linux to build a special purpose High-performance platform, then choose Gentoo Linux or LFS bar. In short, all the choices are yours.