[PLUG] Dependency Hell

[Aaron Burt]

On Sun, 26 Oct 2003, Robert Kopp wrote:

> I think it's a good idea to have two installations of
> Linux on one's system, in case one needs to be worked
> on while it's not active.

Rescue mode on your distro CD is one such installation.  So there ya go.

> I have tried to install SANE and Gnomemeeting RPM's on
> this installation, but without success. There are
> unsatisfied dependencies.

That's common.  So you install the dependencies' RPMs, too.

Doesn't Mandrake have a nice tool that takes care of that stuff for you?

> I'm thinking about getting the retail version of 9.2,
> which is about ready to ship. Perhaps it would have
> the needed files, and thereby save a lot of time. Does
> anyone have comments on this?

Won't help, 9.2 does things the same way as 9.0.

If the RPMs exist, their dependency RPMs should, too.  Those RPMs are
often hard to find, since when installing SANE, say, it'll ask for things
like "libfratzle09" and and "glub4_zug", which you may not know are both
supplied by FesterBesterTester-v2_04.23a-01.rpm

So, two ways to go about this:
a. Note what dependencies it's asking for, search for them on
http://rpmfind.net and then hand-install their RPMs (from your CDs) before
you install SANE etc. or
b. Use Mandrake's tools for this, urpmi or rpmdrake.


And yes, as a snake-handling full-gospel Debianist, I think "use Debian"
or "use apt-get" are Right answers, but they're about as useful as telling
some poor heathen with a bad rattlesnake bite that if they get on the
Righteous Path, they won't get bit again.  ;)


Just another humanist in a world of evangelists,
  Aaron