Project 8B: Adding and Removing RPM Packages via the Package Management Window

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Project 8B: Adding and Removing RPM Packages via the Package Management Window

Your entire Fedora system (like previous versions of Red Hat Linux) is RPM based. This means that all of the applications and support files were originally stored in RPM packages that were installed one by one during the installation process. This means that installing additional packages from your installation CDs is a very simple process. Most of these RPM packages can be accessed, installed, and even uninstalled via the Package Management window (shown in Figure 8-5).

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Figure 8-5: Using the Package Management window to add or remove packages

8B-1: Fixing the Package Manager Bug (Fedora Core 1 Users Only)

If you are using Fedora Core 1, there is a small matter that you must first attend to before you can try your hand at installing packages via the Package Management window. You see, the Fedora Core 1 Package Manager has a bug that prohibits you from reading data on the installation disks it asks you to insert. Fortunately, this is easily remedied by installing a single RPM update file.

To get the file, go to http://ayo.freshrpms.net/fedora/linux/1/i386/ RPMS.updates, and download redhat-config-packages-1.2.7-1.noarch.rpm. Once you’ve done that and have the file on your hard disk, you can install it by using the very simple double-click method you have already learned.

8B-2: Installing Epiphany or GnuCash

Now that you have fixed the bug, you can have a go with the Package Management window. The two packages we are going to try installing are Epiphany (an alternative GNOME Web browser that is sort of a light version of Mozilla) and the home finance software package GnuCash.

Epiphany (shown in Figure 8-6) made its debut in Fedora Core, and thus is not present on the Red Hat Linux 9 installation disks. In many ways, it is very similar to Mozilla, as it is based on the same rendering engine. Unlike Mozilla, however, Epiphany is designed to be integrated into the GNOME desktop environment and to follow GNOME’s interface features. This is good news for customization freaks, as any customization features you apply to GNOME will also take effect in Epiphany.

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Figure 8-6: Using Epiphany to browse the Web

GnuCash is essentially the Linux answer to Quicken — it is a home finance manager that you can use to do your budgeting, balance your checkbook, and amortize your home and car loans. If you have been a Quicken user up to now, you can take heart, as GnuCash can even read Quicken files.

To install these two programs, here is all you have to do:

  1. Go to the Main menu and select System Settings > Add/Remove Applications. Type in your root password when prompted to do so, and click OK.

  2. The Package Management window will then appear. In that window, scroll a short way down to the Applications section, and then click the Details link to the right of the Graphical Internet category. (If you are a Epiphany-less Red Hat Linux 9 user, just skip down to step 4 instead.)

  3. The Graphical Internet Package Details window will then open (see Figure 8-7 on the next page). In that window, select Epiphany by clicking the checkbox next to its name — leave everything else as is! Once you’ve done that, click Close.

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    Figure 8-7: Selecting Epiphany to be installed

  4. Now you will be back in the main Package Management window, so scroll down in the Applications section to the Office/Productivity subcategory and click the Details link.

  5. In the Package Details window for that group, select GnuCash by clicking the checkbox next to it. Once you’re done, click Close, which will close the Package Details window, and return you to the main Package Management window.

  6. Now that you have selected the software you wish to install, just click the Update button at the bottom of the window.

  7. The Preparing System Update window will then appear while the system checks to see what you already have installed. Once it has done its business, a Completed System Preparation window will be displayed (as was shown in Figure 8-2 on page 113). Click the Continue button.

  8. A new window will appear asking you to insert one of the installation disks. Insert the appropriate disk in your CD drive, and when your drive light stops blinking, click OK.

The installation process will then commence, and that is essentially that. If you’re using Fedora, you can go have a look at your new Web browser when the installation process is done. Go to the Main menu and select Internet > More Internet Applications > Web Browser. To use GnuCash, just go to the Main menu and select Office > More Office Applications > GnuCash.

By using the method you’ve just learned, you can install any of the additional packages listed in the Details windows. For example, if you installed your system in Chapter 2 without following my special package-customization steps, this is how you can get in sync. Just refer to that chapter and then install the packages or package groups specified there. Who says there are no second chances in life?



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Linux for Non-Geeks. A Hands-On, Project-Based, Take-It-Slow Guidebook
Linux for Non-Geeks: A Hands-On, Project-Based, Take-It-Slow Guidebook
ISBN: 1593270348
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 188

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