[parisc-linux] how to use dpkg/dselect/apt-get ???

[Randolph Chung]

You may want to try install deity-curses (aka console-apt). I'd like to
think it's easier to use :-)

> 3) How can I search the list so I can find, for example, 'X11'
> to '+' it and let it figure out what else is needed and then
> install it?

in dselect, you can search using / (like vi)
there's decent online help using 'h'.

> 4) Is there a better package interface than dselect?
> (rh/caldera/mdk's glint is 3+ yrs old and is still far superior
> to dselect--you can actually _understand_ what you're looking at)

well, many people find dselect easy to understand too, but i can see how
it's daunting. do give deity a try and see if that's easier for you.
 
> I am not against whatever debian uses considering all the wonderful
> features it's supposed to have, just rather annoyed that it is such a
> difficult/disgusting interface.

most of us just install things from command-line. For example, you can
do 'apt-get install x-window-system' from the command-line (as root)
once your system is up and running. 'apt-get update' updates your
"package sources" from the debian mirrors, and 'apt-get upgrade' will
install the newest versions of what you have on your system.

you can use 'apt-cache search <pattern>' to look at available packages.
There's also a web interface, http://packages.debian.org/

to use apt you need to have a correct /etc/apt/sources.list file. If the
installer didn't set one up for you, you can use something like this:

=================
deb http://http.us.debian.org/debian unstable main contrib non-free
deb http://debian.yorku.ca/debian/non-US unstable non-US/main non-US/contrib 
deb-src http://http.us.debian.org/debian unstable main contrib non-free
=================

as for mixing i386 and hppa, it won't happen; the debian package tools
are all arch-specific and will only look at the arch it's running on.

hope this helps.

randolph
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