Automatix vs Synaptic?

Discussion in 'HOWTO-Related Questions' started by Bernard, Jun 7, 2007.

  1. Bernard

    Bernard New Member

    I was checking Falko's tutorial to see if I could find any information on whether the necessary fix had been made to MPlayer when I ran into the installation of Automatix.

    I though that Synaptic was considerred a fairly efficient interface for updating. What are the advantages of Automatix?

    As for the security fix, I found nothing yet. Doesn't anybody here care about security? I thought I'd get an answer to such a fundamental question in no time at all...

    Bernard
     
  2. till

    till Super Moderator Staff Member ISPConfig Developer

    Automatix is a fast way to install debian third party applications.

    To install updates, run the system updater or if you want to install them from the shell, run:

    apt-get update
    apt-get -u upgrade
     
  3. Bernard

    Bernard New Member

    Their homepage says:

    "Automatix is collaborating with Technalign Inc. to bring a lot of new and exciting commercial software to Automatix users."

    but does the tutorial install any commercial application? I mean commercial apllications you have to pay for. Otherwise, Flash could be considered a commercial application, but installation is only a click away.

    Wouldn't it have been possible to simply add a repository to /etc/apt/sources.list ?
     
  4. falko

    falko Super Moderator Howtoforge Staff

    Of course we care about security. :mad:
    If there's an updated package available, you can install it via apt, as Till posted.

    You don't have to pay for the applications, but most of them aren't published under an open-source license and are therefore considered commercial.

    For most applications, yes, but that doesn't work for Google Earth and Picasa, to name a few.
     
  5. sjau

    sjau Local Meanie Moderator

    Google Earth is available in the medibuntu repos... picasa might also be... but I don't know about that one.
     
  6. Bernard

    Bernard New Member

    Well, I did a little search on "Picasa for Linux" and I got here:

    http:///picasa.google.com/linux/thanks-deb.html

    Unless Google knows nothing about Linux, it seems Picasa is not so hard to install at this page. Wouldn't a reference to it have been enough?

    Honestly, I must confess I don't give a damn about Picasa and I didn't install it. Maybe Automatix does make things easier for Linux users by installing everything in one stride. Dunno. Couldn't care less.

    Given Google's reputation to install all kind of crap on computers, I wouldn't let them install anything on mine. And that's really final.

    I suppose Windows users like all this crap. Maybe they need some counselling on how to get their computer infected. In Windows, they don't even have to "su", they just install the crapware and they finally can see their "photos"!!! I can see and manage mine otherwise. Maybe you're making Linux just a bit too automated for me :)
     
  7. falko

    falko Super Moderator Howtoforge Staff

    I guess I can't make it right for everyone. :rolleyes:
     
  8. sjau

    sjau Local Meanie Moderator

    Falko, what I've read over at ubuntuforums.org is that most older members don't like automatix... it seems that (at least previous versions) were known to break the system somehow... but I haven't used automatix since dapper... I have all my stuff through the repos (except for a few things where I needed some .debs).
     
  9. Bernard

    Bernard New Member

    I guess so, but may I suggest you contact your fellow-countryman Mr Knopper and see what both of you can concoct for Knoppix 5.2... using only Synaptic or Aptitude, even, but OS.
     

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