Baslinux mailing list

[qwms-avib AT dea.spamcon.org]

keesan2 AT cyberspace.org wrote:
> 
> > (1) you don't have to remember the various commands,
> > '   parameters and file names.
> 
> What is there to remember?  

For starters, the filename.  The pkgtool menu lists 
the package names and you select the one you want.

> type installpkg filename.tgz.  No parameters.  
> How is it harder to remember installpkg than pkgtool?

But the pkgtool menu does much more than installpkg.
Without that menu, you would need to remember several
different commands and the location of the database 
(/var/log/packages).
 
> > (2) you can install several packages (from the same
> > '   directory) in one operation.
> 
> I can do that faster with installpkg.  

I doubt that.

> Type the up arrow and change the file name 

First you need to remember the name of the next file.
Then you need to type it in.  This has got to be slower
than doing down-arrow on the menu.

> I find this much easier than arrowing around in menus.  

Fine.  That is your choice.  Isn't it nice that pkgtool
gives you that option?

> > I thought Opera came as a self-installing
> > package (you just uncompress it and run install.sh).
> 
> I think it came as a Slackware package and I just typed 
> installpkg Opera. Maybe you are thinking of Ted?

Definitely not Ted.  

> http://arc.opera.com/pub/opera/linux/603/final/en/qt_static/
>        opera-6.03-20020813.1-static-qt.i386.tar.gz
>
> It installs itself into a directory named the same as the 
> file minus .tar.gz.  

Are you saying you did that with installpkg?  That was a 
mistake.  The Opera package you refer to is not a Slackware 
package.  All you did by using pkgtool was create a new 
subdirectory (filled with Opera installation files) at the 
top of your filesystem.

The correct way to install that Opera package is:
(1) use tar to uncompress the package to /tmp
(2) execute install.sh
(3) delete the Opera subdirectory from /tmp

Cheers,
Steven