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Date: 22 Aug 2000 10:40:42 +0000
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From: "Michael Ring" <Michael DOT Ring AT t-mobil DOT de> (Tel +49 228/936-2621)
To: "cygwin-apps AT sources DOT redhat DOT com" <cygwin-apps AT sources DOT redhat DOT com>
Subject: AW: Collection of new/updated packages available for testing (rpm)
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>> All those facs faciliate the process of maintaining software. This makes rpm
the
>> choice of many linux-dists like redhat, mandrake, suse and others.
>
>How is this useful to Cygwin?  Is it better than, say, DJ's setup.exe?
>
>I've never used rpm myself, so I'm probably just ignorant of its magic.
>
>Regards,
>David

rpm can be used together with DJ's famous setup program.

rpm maintains a database of all installed files. If you install a package that
per accident replaces a file of another package, rpm will warn you that are in
the process of doing something (perhaps) wrong.

A good example is tcl/tk and gdb. both packages provide tcl/tk libs at the
moment. Say now, someone fixes a tcl-dll in gdb to make it work better. You
install the new gdb and everything works fine..... well until for some reason
you re-install tcl/tk, then your fixed dll is gone!.

Also uninstalling is a pain without rpm. Say you get the phantastic idea to
remove cygwin-1.1.4.tar.gz (which includes cygwin1.dll). You remove all
necessary files by hand, then start bash and surprise! nothing works anymore. 

De-installing with rpm is easier because you simple tell rpm to --erase gzip and
it will completely erase gzip from your installation (If no other application
depends on gzip)

if you tell rpm to --erase cygwin, it will tell you that you will break all
other packages too because they all depend on cygwin1.dll.

Of yourse the mechanisms of rpm only work on the applications it has installed.
But that's another story.

I have to hurry to prepare the other ann ouncements, I hope for now the
information helps!

Michael Ring