Re:libc5, glibc, etc...

[Adam <adam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Subject:libc5, glibc, etc...
KLUG-ers:

>Well, I was just starting to feel pretty slick.  Compiling kernels, =
>setting up PPP, wading through this huge cluster to get my computer to =
>"feel right" to me with Linux (BSWare 5.2 now, was Slackware).  Now I am =
>trying to get some applications to work (window managers, ICQ, x11amp =
>0.9, etc.) and at every turn, I find out I have to install new versions =
>of lots and lots libraries and update all there weird things that I =
>don't remember installing.  For instance, last night, I downloaded the =
>new version of x11amp.  I extract the files, configure and type make.  =
>It chugs and churns along for a while and pukes out.  Apparently, I need =
>a new version of gtk+.  I download a new rpm of gtk+ and it won't =

GTK+ is a pain in the butt.  GTK is the graphics library for the GNOME
interface environment, which is still under HEAVY development.  Their are
new version of that library almost every week.  Aim for apps that use the
Qt or Arena libraries (they may not be as sexy) and you won't have these
problems.  or else find binaries that are compiled "statically".  Although
those may be HUGE.  This is very similair to DLL hell under windows were
every application wants it's own version of the system DLL's installed.

>install because I need to upgrade imlib.  I get imlib and it won't =
>install because I have libc5 instead of glib (libc 6?).  What the heck =
>is a libc?!?  I know it has something to do with the dynamic linker.  =
>That's all I know.

libc is the system library set used before the conversion to glibc which
exsists under a more "kosher" liscene agreement.  glibc is also more "thread"
safe so applications using it are more stable and faster on SMP boxes.
The above is a gross over-simplification, but it works.

>Anyway, my point is that it seems like SO MUCH WORK to do the littlest =
>things.  I spend tons of time searching the web and scouring FTP sites =
>for stuff to update programs I never heard of that are required by =
>programs I want and so on.  It's a real drag.

One,  always keep your're system in sync with the updates from redhat.  Also,
escpecially for apps using gtk and such, don't always use the most current
version.  Most will not "stabalize" until a little after GNOME 1.0 rolls 
out.

>How in the world does everyone else do this?  Am I making things harder =
>than they need to be?  When I was using Slackware, I didn't seem to have =
>problems like this NEARLY as often.  It could be that I didn't =
>experiment as much.  I don't know.  I feel like I've missed some =

You didn't install as much NEW stuff.

>fundamentals here.  I know a bunch of commands and I can write some neat =
>regular expressions so I feel pretty studly.  Until I find out I can =
>only dial out with pppd if I'm root and now I'm back to the chase, =
>reading mountains of HOWTO's and trying to figure out why.

Save yourself some real greif with PPP and set up demand dialing,  so the
system brings up and takes down the interface without manual intervention,
it is also the only "secure" way to do it. IMHO.