apt-get or aptitude?

[SecretCode]

Since starting with Ubuntu I have always used aptitude (command line, not the ncurses interface) in preference to apt-get, and this has been fine in all Ubuntu Xubuntu and Kubuntu installations so far.

I can't quite remember why, now: something about it being recommended (and the default in Debian) for better resolution of dependencies.

But since making Kubuntu 11.10 my main installation (a fresh installation), I've continually had problems with it not being able to resolve things or proposing uninstalling half the system (which I see several people have found with Muon too).

$ sudo aptitude safe-upgrade
Resolving dependencies...                
Unable to resolve dependencies for the upgrade: no solution found.
Unable to safely resolve dependencies, try running with --full-resolver.

Adding --full-resolver results in it proposing removing lots of things.

Whereas apt-get upgrade just gets on with the job (although I see today that it is marking some razor-qt packages as "held back").

Is aptitude actually not such a good thing? Who uses which, assuming you upgrade at the command line at all?

[claydoh]

Ubuntu favors apt over aptitude, and it's packages seem to be built with that in mind.
Aptitiude is still a good tool, but it can be too smart sometimes in terms of ubuntu's packages and it's solutions to solving problems. My favorite is when it want to downgrade some packages as well as upgrade others packages, leaving one with a mixed and usually broken system

However, if one experiments with a lot of PPA'a it can be a very useful tool if one learns what it can do, and the very useful ppa-purge tool uses it to downgrade back to previous non-ppa packages.

If I don't use Muon, I use apt.

[Snowhog]

If I don't use Muon, I use apt.

I use the console and apt for all package management operations. I have Muon (Package Manager and Software Center, both at Version 1.2.95 "Daring Dalek" -- from Jonathan's experimental ppa), but use it only to look for packages. I like Muon, but I haven't used a graphical package manager since I stopped using Synaptic several years back. I find that using apt from a console to be fool-proof (for me).

[SteveRiley]

A few months ago I wrote about experimenting with using only Aptitude for managing a system. After becoming comfortable with its quirks, I grew to like the program. But, similar to Snowhog's use of Muon, I use Aptitude only to search for stuff and also to view dependencies (I really like how you can quickly move up and down a dependency chain with shortcut keys).

For actuall installation/purging of packages, though, I've returned to good old apt-get.

[SecretCode]

Thanks all ... I'll prefer apt-get install then.

Searching with apt: do you use apt-cache search, or what? Does the apt tool set have equivalents of aptitude's search flags like ~i for installed, ~ahold for packages in held state?

[woodsmoke]

Hi
Normally I use Muon to look for "new" things because of the more verbose descriptions.

I usually use Synaptic to install things and the simple reason for that is that I can't remember the names of things except like "gweled" .

But, when I know exactly what I want and know that there won't be a problem AND know the exact name then I use apt-get.

woodsmoke

[ronw]

I've found aptitude's why and why-not commands useful at times. There may be an apt-* equivalent that I've missed.

[Detonate]

This morning I ran sudo apt-get upgrade && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade and one package was held back. Then I ran sudo aptitude upgrade and the package was installed, however aptitude downgraded one package in order to install the new package, it was a package that apt-get had upgraded yesterday.

[Jonas]

A few months ago I wrote about experimenting with using only Aptitude for managing a system. After becoming comfortable with its quirks, I grew to like the program. But, similar to Snowhog's use of Muon, I use Aptitude only to search for stuff and also to view dependencies (I really like how you can quickly move up and down a dependency chain with shortcut keys).

For actuall installation/purging of packages, though, I've returned to good old apt-get.

I had some odd behaviour from aptitude in the early RC stage of 11.10, and I think that you adviced me to be cautious with aptitude as it was no longer maintained. I really like(ed) the benifits of aptitude and apt* lack some features so lately I use them both aswell. My question is however is aptitude abandoned?

/jonas

(any typos I blame on blender rendering at the momment .... taking my gpu hostage and updating the text in slow-mo )

[SteveRiley]

I had some odd behaviour from aptitude in the early RC stage of 11.10, and I think that you adviced me to be cautious with aptitude as it was no longer maintained.

Our prior discussion.

As far as I can tell, Aptitude is still being maintained. I think it was someone else who might have wondered about its status?

[Jonas]

Our prior discussion.

As far as I can tell, Aptitude is still being maintained. I think it was someone else who might have wondered about its status?

Ah yes, my memory serves me wrong, thanks for linking it (I had trouble typing, not to mention searching, due to rendering) Nice to hear, I really like aptitude

b.r
Jonas

[SecretCode]

I have read comments elsewhere that the developer, Daniel Burrows, is less active with aptitude than in the past. But I can't remember where I read this ...