List of rpms to install mplayer on FC2 (2.6.6-1.435.2.1)

[Chuck_Sterling]

Robert Locke wrote:

> 
>> 
>> From: Chuck_Sterling <csterlin at zianet.com>
>> Date: 2004/07/02 Fri PM 07:25:27 EDT
>> To: fedora-list at redhat.com
>> Subject: List of rpms to install mplayer on FC2 (2.6.6-1.435.2.1)
>> 
> <snip>
>> 
>> Since I did not know what order of installation was needed, I just
>> used a baby script to install whatever would, then run it again and
>> again until all the dependencies were finally met. Took about four
>> passes, plus one more when finally I downloaded libpostproc.
>> 
>> example of script...
>> # for FILE in `ls -1 *.rpm`
>> > do
>> > echo $FILE
>> > rpm -i $FILE
>> > done
>> . . .
>> #
>> 
>> </FWIW>
>> Chuck Sterling
>> 
> 
> Chuck,
> 
> Couple of thoughts to make it easier for you next time....
> 
> 1) Try to get used to yum or apt-get.  I am using yum at the moment,
> and once I modified my yum.conf file to include some other repo's

One question I have is where to find "other repos". Are those in the
list of mirrors at "fedora.redhat.com" the ones I need, or someplace
else? And how does one determine which ones are needed (since there are
quite a few listed there) and the exact syntax for adding the info? I
think I see the pattern in my "stock" yum.conf, but if there are any
tricks for adding particular repositories...

> , all 
> I had to do was a "yum install xine".  Admittedly, my repo did not
> have a couple of additional rpm's listed as dependencies, so I needed
> to additionally do a "yum install libdvdcss".

I think I had mentioned that I tried "yum install xine", but if not I
mention it now. I had not (and still have not) modified yum.conf, and
the process ended in error (not finding xine, I think, but I've seen so
many error messages lately they tend to run together in what's left of
my mind).

> 
> 2) But even if you would rather go through manual dependency
> h-e-double-hockey-sticks, simply download all the rpm's you think you
> need into one directory, from one repository site.  Then do a "rpm
> -Uvh *.rpm" from that directory.  The "shell expansion" will initially
> have the rpm's in alphabetical order, but the "preflight check" of rpm
> will re-order them automagically based on the dependencies.....  Seems
> easier than your script.  Also by using the -v switch you will see the
> order that they are installed in.

I should have read up on rpm a bit and not missed that capability. The
little script was "adequate" but just barely.

<OT RAMBLE>

As I type this, I'm trying to get a handle on, for want of a better
term, the "politics" of Linux. Not the legal questions re: M$ and SCO
et al, but where Linux in general, commercial Linux distributions
(RedHat, SuSE, Mandrake, etc.), and Fedora Core fit into the IT world.
I am of the opinion that Linux is in a battle for its life with M$, and
that M$ has a head start (stating the obvious). With that in mind, it
seems to me that the chief aim of developers of Linux distros (beyond
creating a robust and reliable operating system) should be to compete
in the marketplace. M$ is, after all, less a software company these
days than a money machine (one of the reasons I do not have to actually
name M$; the abbreviation is usually sufficient). 

Let me say that while I tinker with Linux and administer a small US Govt
network with a mix of Win32, Solaris, and Linux systems, I am by no
stretch of definition a developer; by most measures in this forum, I am
a user of Linux that can occasionally write something useful if trivial
in sh or perl. In order to get Linux of any stripe into a network like
mine it must be, in a word, supportable. One must qualify that:
"supportable as used". It is arguable that M$ and Solaris are both
supportable, albeit with considerable difficulty at times, and that
their being thus supportable is due in no small part to their
consistency, bugs and all. I mean by that, that once we find a solution
to a problem, we generally don't have to find it again until the next
time we upgrade to a new OS version and maybe not then. But I digress,
and this paragraph can continue ad nauseum if I let it.

One point I would like to make is that the sort of troubles we are
dealing with in the installation of mplayer almost never show up (in my
limited experience) when dealing with similar, seemingly trivial,
installations of software on Windows systems. I understand will that
many developers of hardward do not bother with development for Linux
platforms. Case in point: a LeadTek TV card and a Neo-something video
capture card. Both include trivial installation procedures for various
M$ versions, and both work. Neither include any mention of Linux,
because there isn't any money in it. Yet. But why (Rhetorical question;
we in IT do not answer "why" questions.) do we not have similar
triviality in software developed with Linux in mind? These days,
functions like those provided by mplayer are trivial to the
world-at-large, and in my professional opinion it is in the best
interests of the Linux marketing community (should such a community
happen to exist) to get this sort of thing just bolted onto the block
so that it "just runs" when you turn the key to start (minor apology
for the automotive analogy).

Here's the rub. Newsflash: The Linux marketing community does NOT work
in concert; they compete with each other. The various Linux
distribution companies work diligently to differentiate themselves from
each other, in an attempt to gain an edge over competitors very similar
to themselves. No apology here: This is like the hyenas waiting for the
lion to leave the kill with a full stomach so they can fight over the
leavings. The net result is that the lion remains king. 

While recognizing that there is are communities that does not give a
tinker's damn about marketing and wants software to be free, I submit
that this is self-destructive, perhaps (said with sadness)
intentionally self-destructive. Linux, to survive, must survive in the
marketplace. It cannot do so fighting among itselves (fractured syntax
intentional). There must, simple must, be a single Linux community that
will compete head-to-head with its only competitor, M$, or... the lion
remains king.

Ah, enough of this. I gotta go get a haircut. We can integrate the Linux
community tomorrow... or Monday...

Opinions, omissions, misspellings: all are mine.

</OT RAMBLE>

> 
> HTH in the future,

I'm sure it will.
Thanks again,
Chuck