apt-get update

[geofm-rieW9WUcm8FFJ04o6PK0Fg at public.gmane.org]

> 
> From: "Giles Orr" <gilesorr-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>
> Date: 2006/08/28 Mon AM 08:13:22 EST
> To: tlug-lxSQFCZeNF4 at public.gmane.org
> Subject: Re: [TLUG]: apt-get update
> 
> Hi Merv (and TLUG).
> 
> On 8/27/06, Merv Curley <mervc-MwcKTmeKVNQ at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> > A friend of mine has spent an hour on dialup doing the above.  When he started
> > adept he had a list of new packages and upgrades to installed packages.
> >
> > When he started adept the next day it only showed installed packages.  I
> > assume that what he got from the update is in a file somewhere on his
> > computer?
> >
> > I've never had this happen, but this guy, a newbie, is forever doing something
> > and causing him and me, problems.  Me cuz I'm supposed to have these answers
> > and a lot of the time I am clueless.
> 
> There are several programs that can be used to work with the packages
> on a Debian-based system.  The most commonly used is "apt-get".  I
> tend to use "aptitude", which shares a lot of common command line
> switches.  These common command line switches have a different
> behaviour than similar sounding things with "yum" under FC, which can
> cause confusion.  "aptitude update" or "apt-get update" doesn't
> install any packages: it checks the repositories to get information,
> primarily lists of new versions of software that are available.
> That's all.  You should always run it before you try to install any
> software.  The command I'm guessing you're looking for is "apt-get
> upgrade" which looks at your system and upgrades any packages that you
> have that are older than what's available.  "yum update" on an FC
> system is the same as "apt-get update ; apt-get upgrade" on a Debian
> system.  Be warned that running "upgrade" over dialup is an extremely
> long process - you can be looking at _days_ if your system decides
> Open Office is in need of an upgrade.  Consider doing single
> security-critical packages by hand.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> -- 
> Giles
> http://www.gilesorr.com/
> gilesorr-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org

But, be careful doing an apt-get upgrade. I've trashed 2 Debian based distros doing this. And at least with Kanotix Easter-RC4 the Debian repositories they use are so flaky that even installing a simple applet leads to trashing CUPS and other things.

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