[Cialug] Debian newbie questions

[Kevin C. Smith]

Resend ....
>
>> A few days ago i installed Debian Sarge on my main Linux box. With a
>> strong Red Hat background, Debian is a bit of a culture shock, but i'm
>> adapting. Once i memorized the most useful keystrokes for the aptitude
>> program, i decided that i really like the apt packaging system and i'm
>> beginning to understand why it is considered among the best: it just
>> works. Anyway, a couple quick questions that hopefully someone can
>> help
>>  me with:
>
> Welcome to Debian!
>
> If this is a server great. If this is a Desktop check out
> ubuntulinux.com, which is a more polished version of Debian. Download
> the lastest intall image which is generated daily or wait for the first
> offical release onOct. 20th. Is more up to date stuff (gnome 2.8, etc.)
> and is based on Debian Sid.
>
>>
>> Question 1: how are apt and dpkg related? I use aptitude to select
>> what
>>  packages i want installed, which from the name i assume it is related
>> to apt. But i found a helpful web site called "rpm to apt-get/dpkg
>> Rosetta Stone" and it mostly references dpkg commands. Are apt and
>> dpkg
>>  the same thing? Is one an extension of the other? If they are
>> different, if i start using one and then run commands from the other
>> one, will anything get messed up?
>
> dpkg is the package manager (like RPM).
> Apt is sort of a front end (extension) to the package manager, which
> adds additions functions (Like Up2date?). Aptitude in a more friendly
> console interface to apt. Check out (# apt-get install synaptic)
> Synaptic a GTK interface. dselect is an other older on that is being
> phased out and difficult to get used to. I would avoid this one unless
> there is reason not to. Check out the man pages ;).
>>
>> Question 2: How do i configure sound? I didn't see anything about
>> sound
>>  during the install. Is there a really easy way that i missed, or am i
>> going to have to mess with recompiling the kernel like i did several
>> years ago when i last ran a distribution that didn't handle sound
>> automatically? Debian doesn't even detect the sound card on bootup. I
>> have a Creative Labs Awe64 Gold, which was a moderately popular card a
>> few years back, so i know Linux certainly supports it. Are there any
>> packages that i need to install to make it work?
>
> Debian is still not great at sound. Ubuntu works much better here. #
> modeprobe emu8k
> I think should work.
> If it does do # echo emu8k >> /etc/modules
> Send your lsmod output please if is doesn't.
> And what kernel did you use? Are you usings ALSA or OSS?
>
> Sound may simply be muted. Check your mixer settings.
>
> Once again Ubuntu makes this choices for you and just works.
>
>
>>
>> Question 3: Is there an equivalent to Red Hat's "service" command? Or
>> should i just do /etc/init.d/<script> <action> when i need to start or
>> stop a service?
>
> No. You could make a simple bash script to do this if you wanted. But,
> just do /etc/init.d/<script> <action>.
>
>>
>> Question 4: I installed Sarge, which i think is the "testing" release.
>> If i understand correctly, after awhile Sarge will become the stable
>> release. When i update the system in the future after Sarge has gone
>> stable, will my system stay with Sarge, or will it automatically move
>> to the next testing release? If it doesn't stay with testing, what
>> will
>>  i have to do to switch to whatever the new testing release is?
>
> Depends. Look in /etc/apt/sources.list
> 1. If you "testing" it will stay with the testing branch.
> 2. If you see "sarge" it will remain with sarge from testing to stable.
>
> If wish to always use the testing branch make sure your sources.list
> has the "testing" reference in it.
>
>
> --
> Kevin C. Smith


-- 
Kevin C. Smith