Re: FC4 + yum, apt, CPAN, and repositories

["Bryan J. Smith" <b.j.smith@ieee.org>]

> I finally have installed FC4. Now I need to install some
> perl modules.  The question I have is, how should I install
> them? I can choose from a number of methods and
repositories:
> 1) yum as specified in fedora-release

If available, stick with Fedora Core/Extras via yum.

> 2) apt using freshrpms

Never.  FreshRPMS has bit me in the ass way too much.

> 3) apt using rpmforge

APT is heavily deprecated starting with FC3.

> 4) yum using rpmforge

This is doable, especially if you grab the SRPM or the SPEC
file.  That's what RPMForge was setup to do.

> 5) CPAN using the cpan shell

Always an option that is not a bad one.  It just means you
don't have the package management anymore.

> 6) download and install the source tarball from CPAN

Only do this if you want to re-package into a RPM.  Then
consider adding to the RPMForge knowledge, as well as submit
it to Fedora Extras for inclusion.

> Ideally, I'd like to use just one method to simplify
> administration and management of the packages.

Understand there _is_ a _lot_ of overlap.

Even FreshRPMS uses RPMForge for most (if not all?) of its
SPEC files.  Unfortunately, I've found FreshRPMS to do
virtually no testing.

Which is why I recommend that if you end up doing #6, send
your SPEC file to Fedora Extras.  They are always asking for
submissions, and if it makes it into Fedora Extras, it's in
the _stock_ Fedora YUM repositories.

> However, this doesn't seem likely.  From what I've tried so
> far I've run into two major issues:
> 1) a package exists in one repository and not the other,
> or is available via one method and not the other

Forget APT.  It's now deprecated for FC3+.

> 2) incompatible packages between the repositories

RPMForge is doing its best to try to prevent this, as is
Fedora Extras.  RPMForge is used by DAG, FreshRPMS, ATrpms,
etc...  But Fedora Extras is the official Red Hat project.

> An example of the first case is the perl-Text-Shellwords
> package.  It is available via apt using rpmforge but not
from
> freshrpms,

Again, FreshRPMS leaves much to be desired.  Consider just
RPMForge if you're going to go outside Fedora Core/Extras.

> nor via yum using the default repositories.

Which is Fedora Core/Extras.

> An example of the second case is the perl-GD package.  It
> is available via yum using the default repositories.

Then use that one.

> A newer version is available via apt from rpmforg.

Unless you absolutely need it, _never_ go against the stock
Fedora Core/Extras.  They are well tested and respected.

> However, the newer package is not built correctly.

Not surprisingly.  ;->

> That is, the example from 'perldoc GD' works with  
> the old version and not the new.

Not surprisingly.  ;->

Seriously now, your first move should be Fedora Core/Extras.

Your second move -- if you want a package -- should be to
grab any SPEC file from RPMForge and built it _yourself_ with
the source tarball.  If you get it to happen, consider
submitting it to Fedora Extras.  I wish the RPMForge guys
would work with Fedora Extras more.

Your third and final move would be to use the integrated
CPAN.  Or this could be your second and final move, it's up
to you.

> Another example of the second case is when I try to upgrade
> the packages, I see a lot of "X conflicts with existing
> package Y"-type of errors.

Yes, "repository hell."  That's why you should use Fedora
Core/Extras as much as you can.

> My stream of questions are:
> - should I stick to apt, yum, CPAN, or use some combination
> of methods?
> - should I use just one repository or a mixture, and if a
> mixture, which ones?
> Any thoughts, comments, solutions, or suggestions are
> gladly accepted.

I think I've provided enough above.



-- 
Bryan J. Smith     Professional, Technical Annoyance                      b.j.smith@ieee.org      http://thebs413.blogspot.com
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