Re: SRPMS?

From: Cap'n Jack (codfish_at_seabed.atlantic.ocean.ea)
Date: 05/28/04

  • Next message: J.C.S. van de Sande: "sound config help" 
    Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 03:17:07 GMT

    "MikeW @hotmail.com>" <xmike87<> wrote in message
    news:ZFvtc.10055$nJ6.2798@nwrddc02.gnilink.net...
    > Hmm, ok. So if an iso download is labeled 'srpms', that means that it
    > contains the source code for the packages that are on the install disks?
    Or
    > do I have this wildly wrong...

    No, you're right, but it goes beyond that.

    The source RPMs (SRPMs) are neatly-packaged source code that makes it far
    easier for a non-codie (like myself for example) to build and install
    software on their system.

    One of the main ideas behind GNU/Linux--or really the whole *NIX
    universe--is that you compile software packages on your system so that it is
    more highly optimized. But doing so strictly from source requires a
    ponderous housekeeping overhead--not to mention the difficulty in
    UNINSTALLING or UPGRADING.

    The RPM concept is one of many that seeks to automate and standardize that,
    making things much more tidy. Installing packages is easier with RPM (e.g.)
    of course, but UNINSTALLING and UPGRADING are made vastly more pain-free.

    SRPMS give you essentially the best of both worlds. You still have the
    opportunity to compile software for your specific system, but you also have
    the benefits of the package manager.

    Hope that explains things somewhat--I'm not a programmer, and don't know
    much about the details. I'm a sort of "enlightened user" who administers my
    own SOHO server, and I've had to pick up a trick or two.

    You might want to check out http://www.rpm.org/ for more information, fwiw.

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