Re: yum (with RPM repositories) on Debian/Ubuntu

 On Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:57:58 +1300, Guy K. Kloss wrote:
> Anyway, I prefer much Debian based distros over RPM based ones.
> Particularly, as the I've had some bad experiences with hugely 
> outdated
> Python versions on CentOS. BTW, I'm talking server here, not desktop

 i'd suggest that's more to do with choices of the OS developers and 
 maintainers than .rpm vs .deb per se, but anyway

> So the VDT/OSG stuff can be retrieved through a specifically 
> available
> YUM repository for that purpose. I've seen that Debian/Ubuntu come 
> with
> packages for RPM and YUM as well. So here are my questions:
>
> * Has anybody ever used YUM on Debian/Ubuntu?
>
> * Does it run something like alien to install them into the Debian
>   packaging system, or does it maintain a "parallel infrastructure"?

 looks like yum/rpm runs a parallel infrastructure

 although alien is available
 http://packages.ubuntu.com/lucid/alien

 i'd take the alien route myself, being very careful. possibly with some 
 cron scripting to check for updates and generate and install new .deb 
 packages

 from http://packages.ubuntu.com/lucid/rpm
 "On Debian and derived systems it is recommended to use "alien" to 
 convert RPM packages into .deb format instead of bypassing the Debian 
 package management system by installing them directly with rpm."

> * Are there any pitfalls (besides the obvious) to be aware of and to
>   avoid?

 beyond total system fubar or dependency hell? no, not really

 have you tried building the .deb packages from source? that would seem 
 an easier and less painful route, then you could also host your own .deb 
 repo for others who may want to do the same

-- 
 robin

 http://fu.ac.nz - Auckland's Free University

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