Debian Linux Questions

[iSeriesCodePoet]

Hello all,

I am adventuring into the world of linux. I based on suggestions from friends I am using Debian "Woody". What is the best way to select the packages I want installed. It took me an hour to find everything, now I need to remove some packages due to conflicts. I think I also installed more than I needed. It will be just the basic internet server with apache, email (qmail), FTP, PHP, and MySQL. What is the best way to install that stuff? Through dselect? or someway else? iSeriesCodePoet
IBM iSeries (AS/400) Programmer

 

[flugh]

Dselect is... well, it's deselect ;-)

'apt' is the package manager that (in my opinion) sets Debian apart. Read the apt man page, then you can 'apt-get remove' a package (and anything that depended on it).

Apt. It's what's for breakfast. --
JR

 

[Norwich]

dselect is probably the best way to go.

Though I use Debian and the package management is wonderful, I'm suprised a 'newbie' was recommended to use Debian as a first distro.

It assumes you know what you want to install. Also, the woody version is 'safe' in that it's stable so a lot of the newer tools and applications will not be available unless you move over to the unstable or testing versions.

I would say go with Mandrake, SuSE or Redhat - use one of the small - 1 CD, free, magazine cover versions; get to know what's going on; then move over to something like Debian.

 

[iSeriesCodePoet]

Okay... how do I determin what email server was installed? It had me set one up... but I don't know which one I set up :-( iSeriesCodePoet
IBM iSeries (AS/400) Programmer

 

[flugh]

"exim" comes to mind. Just checked my Debian 3.0 laptop and it's got exim installed. --
JR

 

[Norwich]

Debian will install whatever one you ask it too This is the issue with Debian - you have to know what you need.

Under dselect, look for the standards: Sendmail, exim, postfix, qmail.... All will provide the MTA (Mail tranfer agent) functionality you need.

When you have the list of packages up, hit "/" followed by one of the names above. If the rightmost of the three flags is "*" then it is installed, if it's "_" then it isn't

 

[iSeriesCodePoet]

I know how to use dselect. It is just daunting to look throught the list. I have it installed now. iSeriesCodePoet
IBM iSeries (AS/400) Programmer