Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

[MatthewSchenker]

Hi All,
I am extremely happy with Kubuntu, and every day I am thrilled I no longer use Windows!

I have used Adept several times to install packages, and although it is a bit clunky it gets the job done. I've been reading here and elsewhere about the debate between Adept and Synaptic.

I'm a little confused.

If I install Synaptic from the Adept package manager, does it then replace Adept? Is this OK to do? What would be the reason someone would need to do this?

As you can see, I'm still learning a lot about Kubuntu!

Thanks,
Matt

[ppberns]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

Hi,

If you install both, both will work (not at the same time though). I believe that adept is "replacing" synaptic (eventually).

[Snowhog]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

Two flavors of the same utility.

Synaptic, for many, has a more 'user friendly' approach to package management, making it easier for newbies (and oldies) to locate packages they want to install. You can have both, Adept Manager and Synaptic installed. You can selectively use one or the other.

[MatthewSchenker]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

Hi,

If you install both, both will work (not at the same time though). I believe that adept is "replacing" synaptic (eventually).

Thanks for explaining. I actually don't have a problem with Adept, but when you do a search on Google you see so many people praising Synaptic!

I didn't know that Adept was replacing Synaptic.

Thanks,
Matt

[MatthewSchenker]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

Two flavors of the same utility.

Synaptic, for many, has a more 'user friendly' approach to package management, making it easier for newbies (and oldies) to locate packages they want to install. You can have both, Adept Manager and Synaptic installed. You can selectively use one or the other.

OK, that helps. I wasn't sure if they were "competing" systems or something.
Thanks for the help!
Matt

[Snowhog]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

You're welcome.

One of the packages you are advised to avoid (in my opinion, as well as many others - just search the Forum) is the package manager "Automatix." I don't use it - don't have it, won't get it - but others who have used it (not all, but many) end up posting here for help with a borked up system. Automatix has a tendency to mess up the /etc/apt/sources.list which is used by Adept Manger.

[SheeEttin]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

I don't think one is replacing the other.
Synaptic is the package manager for Ubuntu/GNOME, while Adept is the package manager for Kubuntu/KDE.

I just installed and tried Synaptic for the first time, and I can see how people like it. It has many more features.
I only tried it for a minute or so, but I found I didn't like all the dialog boxes popping up at me. I much prefer Adept's "click-and-it-goes" style.

[Snowhog]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

As one gets more comfortable with Linux, you may also find (as I do) that installing from the CLI (commad line) with apt-get is desireable. One of the things I do, before installing a new package in Adept Manager, is to use apt-get install --simulate package to find out how the installation will go by getting a report of the actions to be taken, and whether or not the installation will cause any problems. You don't get that in Adept Manager. As SheeEttin put it, with Adept Manager it's "click-and-it-goes." I've had one instance, using Adept Manager, where a package I selected became "BROKEN" during the installation. It took me a bit of effort to undo the mess.

[MatthewSchenker]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

As one gets more comfortable with Linux, you may also find (as I do) that installing from the CLI (commad line) with apt-get is desireable."

I'm still hesitant about using the command line to install anything. Perhaps it's because it seems more powerful, and therefore more likely to cause unsolvable problems. But most likely, it's because I'm still learning! When I have used the command line (with a good set of directions) I find I like it even better because of the level of detail I see. I'm getting better with it.

One of the things I do, before installing a new package in Adept Manager, is to use apt-get install --simulate package to find out how the installation will go by getting a report of the actions to be taken, and whether or not the installation will cause any problems.

Wow, I learn something new every day here. I didn't even know there was such a thing as apt-get install - simulate! That sounds like an excellent tool to know about.

You don't get that in Adept Manager.

I think you meant to say, "You don't get that in Synaptic." Right?

By the way, this whole discussion raises a question for me: is there a "quick guide" to command lines? Of course, it would be a big document if it covered everything that's possible from command lines. But I'm thinking it might be beneficial to have a guide for new users that covers just the most common commands. For example, in my case, I'm so new at Linux I don't even know what the possible commands are!

Matt

[nitewing98]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

Matt,

There are any number of tutorials on the 'net for using the shell (or 'command line' if you prefer). Just look for anything on BASH (the usual shell that most linux's use). You'll find everything from simple beginner stuff (like listing directories with 'ls') to advanced shell scripting (way more than most of us need).

Just for beginners I suggest looking at commands like 'export,' 'alias,' 'ls,' and things like 'make' and 'install.' You can use some of these in your login scripts ('.bashrc,' '.bash_profile,' etc) and others are just useful to know when you have problems.

Also, never forget that you can get the description of a command using the 'man' command. A typical example would be 'man ls,' which will show you the manual page for the ls command.

Hope this helps!

[Snowhog]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

Open a console shell and type:

man man

DESCRIPTION
man is the system’s manual pager. Each page argument given to man is
normally the name of a program, utility or function. The manual page
associated with each of these arguments is then found and displayed. A
section, if provided, will direct man to look only in that section of
the manual. The default action is to search in all of the available
sections, following a pre-defined order and to show only the first page
found, even if page exists in several sections.

The table below shows the section numbers of the manual followed by the
types of pages they contain.

1 Executable programs or shell commands
2 System calls (functions provided by the kernel)
3 Library calls (functions within program libraries)
4 Special files (usually found in /dev)
5 File formats and conventions eg /etc/passwd
6 Games
7 Miscellaneous (including macro packages and conven‐
tions), e.g. man(7), groff(7)
8 System administration commands (usually only for root)
9 Kernel routines [Non standard]

A manual page consists of several parts.

They may be labelled NAME, SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION, OPTIONS, FILES,
SEE ALSO, BUGS, and AUTHOR.

[SheeEttin]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

Also this and especially the links at the bottom.

[dpeirce]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic? -- Both good!

I hope Adept DOESN'T replace Synaptic, or the other way round either. They both have good uses and should be used together (not simultaneously!!). Use each and discover in what situations one is more convenient and in what situations the other works better. They both do the same job, just in slightly different ways.

In faith, Dave
Viva Texas <><

[Snowhog]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

Synaptic is a graphical package management program for apt. It provides the same features as the apt-get command line utility with a GUI front-end based on Gtk+.

• Install, remove, upgrade and downgrade single and multiple packages.
• Upgrade your whole system.
• Manage package repositories (sources.list).
• Find packages by name, description and several other attributes.
• Select packages by status, section, name or a custom filter.
• Sort packages by name, status, size or version.
• Browse all available online documentation related to a package.
• Download the latest changelog of a package.
• Lock packages to the current version.
• Force the installation of a specifc package version.
• Undo/Redo of selections.
• Built-in terminal emulator for the package manager.
• Debian only: Configure packages through the debconf system.

[MatthewSchenker]

Re: Confused: Adept vs Synaptic?

Thanks everyone for the responses. After running both Adept and Synaptic, I have to say I don't see too much difference, bottom line. I mean, when all is said and done, they both do the job. Synaptic may be a bit more elegant in design, but there's something about Adept that I kind of just like better. Can't quite say what it is.

Matt