[ale] Debian. Grr.

[Jim Popovitch]

2 things...

- He said that all he had was a base install...aptitude is not part of a
base install.  'apt-get install aptitude' on a base install will force
apt to process a lot of base updates first.  imho, it's better to get
the base system stable before install new applications, especially those
that have new dependencies.

- dselect, while not the best tool, is the most stable.  Apt, while user
friendly, still has a way to go.  Even the Debian developers will tell
you this. 

I recommend getting a base system stable with dselect, and have done it
many many times.  Once the stable or testing system is updated, etc.,
then apt-get for applications works good.

-Jim P.

On Sun, 2004-02-22 at 12:04, James Sumners wrote:
> 1) Forget 'dselect' even exists. If you want to use something like it then use
> 'aptitude'.
> 
> 2) Use http or ftp sources.
> 
> On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 02:59:04 -0500 (EST)
> Joe Knapka <jknapka at kneuro.net> wrote:
> 
> > I'm trying once again to install Debian. My last attempt was in maybe
> > '98 or so, and ended in frustration before I even got the machine to
> > boot. This attempt is on the verge of ending in frustration, though
> > the machine *has* booted a minimal Debian system from the HD.
> > 
> > The main problem I'm having is that "tasksel" and "dselect" seem to be
> > user-unfriendly in the extreme.  So far I have not gotten "apt" to
> > install *anything* but the minimal system. I boot the machine, run
> > "base-config", and then I have to sit in front of the machine swapping
> > CDs (*seven* of them) while it "scans them for index files"
> > (presumably to figure out which packages are on which disks), taking
> > about a minute per disk to do so. This is just enough time for me to
> > get distracted by something else, so it probably amounts to more like
> > five minutes per disk.  It may not be the case that I must sit through
> > the "scanning" process every time I run "base-config", but I see no
> > indication that it's *not* a requirement, so I don't feel safe
> > skipping this.  Then I get into tasksel and/or dselect, and I
> > invariably press some wrong key that causes it to start installing
> > stuff before I've managed to select what I want to be
> > installed. Oopsie, abort, run base-config, drat, have to scan all
> > those bloody CDs again...  It's really a drag. Apparently I've been
> > spoiled by Red Hat and Slackware installers.
> > 
> > Do I *really* need to let it scan every CD every time?
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > 
> > -- Joe Knapka
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