[ale] Ubuntu help

[James Sumners]

Sorry to belabor the point, but aptitude is NOT a frontend for
dselect[1,2]. dselect is a frontend for dpkg just as apt is a frontend
for dpkg. The aptitude package depends on the apt package (which
supplies a virtual libapt package). When you manage the packages on
your system with aptitude, aptitude uses apt, which uses dpkg, to
perform your actions. The wretched dselect is never used.

Yes, aptitude supports most of the "apt-get" commands. However, the
apt system is more than just "apt-get". Also, if you are using
aptitude like apt-get, why not just use apt-get? I don't believe
exchanging "apt-get install foo" for "aptitude install foo" reduces
the number of steps to install foo. And if you fire up the full
ncurses interface for aptitude you certainly aren't reducing the
number of steps; you are actually increasing the number of steps.


[1] -- http://algebraicthunk.net/~dburrows/projects/aptitude/
[2] -- http://packages.debian.org/etch/aptitude

On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 12:31 PM, Preston Boyington
<preston.lists at gmail.com> wrote:
> James Sumners wrote:
>>
>> Aptitude is a replacement for dselect. Aptitude is merely a front-end
>> for apt; it can't do anything apt will not.
>>
>
> i would disagree somewhat.  aptitude is a frontend for dselect not apt.
>  both give you the ways to install, remove, upgrade, etc. but aptitude
> offers a "better" interface (ncurses) that allows you to cycle through
> options for solving conflicts.
>
> apt was first and is cited most often on lists (i still find myself
> doing this), but aptitude was started to solve issues apt had.  you can
> do (most) everything by substituting "aptitude" for "apt-get" in a
> terminal.  when the author (Daniel?) did this i believe it was to help
> people transition easier.  (ok, i haven't ever asked him or anything so
> there is no basis for that other than a warm fuzzy)
>
> simply aptitude can do what apt can in fewer steps and better (and 'yes'
> i know there's nothing more dangerous than a 'convert') :)
>
> a quick google search brought this link up:
> http://pthree.org/2007/08/12/aptitude-vs-apt-get/
>
> my first transition to aptitude was quite spooky, but i now use it for
> everything.
>
> i love it but YMMV.
>
> Preston


-- 
James Sumners
http://james.roomfullofmirrors.com/

"All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts
pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it
is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become
drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted."

Missionaria Protectiva, Text QIV (decto)
CH:D 59