Re: Building 22.1, on Ubuntu

["Dave Pawson" <dave.pawson@gmail.com>]

On 10/09/2007, Tim X <timx@nospam.dev.null> wrote:
>
> Dave, just a very short point which I think may make your life a lot
> easier.
>
> From your response to what I wrote, it seems to me that the real problem
> you had was just not being familiar with the new distro and its package
> management.

True. The reason I wanted emacs was simply because I'd moved
to a new distro.

>
> In this day of advanced package management and readily available packages,
> combined with distros like Ubuntu which work hard at eliminating the need
> for most people to get 'down 'n dirty', it is possibly even more important
> to become familiar with the OS than anything else.

E.g. It's just taken me 45 minutes to find out how to get acroread installed.
I'm afraid I don't like this move towards 'making it easy' when that
step hides so much behind a Redmond like wall.

>
> All your issues with available emacs22 deb packages, problems of
> compilation, differences in how root and X interact etc are all due to
> distro specific differences.

I'm curious how hard it would be on FC7 to find the right packages.
I'm tempted to try that if I can find a spare machine.
+1 to the rest.


>
> I get the impression you are possibly trying to make ubuntu feel like
> fedora or what you are use to - while I can fully understand this, its
> really like trying to put a square peg in a round whole.

I'm afraid its the only experience I have to fall back on Tim...
Other than Coherant from early 1980's, which wouldn't be much use.


>
> I would forget about learning about configure, make and building/installing
> sources. Instead, read about ubuntu, visit ubuntu forums and get to know
> your OS.
I'm having to do that as well, in parallel. I've another 40 or so apps that
I'd like to install.


 From what you have written, I suspect you are the sort of user who
> just wants the power and don't want to get down to the low level
> stuff.
Maybe, now. My programming started with mc code then 68K assembler
writing drivers. I.e. I've been down and dirty.


 This is fine and why ubuntu was put together. Let others do the low
> level stuff and concentrate on making the most from the (by all reports)
> excellent work of the Ubuntu team in liberating users form having to get
> down to the bare metal. If you ever want to get to the bare metal, you can
> always switch to a distro like Gentoo.

Emacs is a tool I use daily Tim. That's the only reason I'm prepared to
put work into getting it up and running. Trying to help improve the docs
seems to be unwanted. Fine by me.

regards


-- 
Dave Pawson
XSLT XSL-FO FAQ.
http://www.dpawson.co.uk