This is my first post to the forums and I’m not sure if this question has been asked perviously, but can someone please explain to me what a repository is? I’ve almost been forced to move my laptop onto Opensuse as I was running Window’s when my hard disk give up, but because I bought the laptop reconditioned direct from Toshiba, they didn’t provide me with a Window’s disc and refused to pay Micro$oft £135 for a replacement disc!!! I’ve had a little exposure to opensuse in the past but only for very basic use, but now I’m going to be running with it day to day.
Just trying to get my head round installation of applications to enhance my experience, from what I have done so far I’m really impressed with the OS and wondering why the I didn’t change sooner and of free will!
I would consider myself relatively good with computers, struggle with some of the more technical aspects of computing, hence why I’m asking this question, any replies are greatly appreciated.
Repositories are collections of software packages (in RPM format) on the internet (or on your system, and also on the DVD you may have used to install your openSUSE).
The standard openSUSE release is on the so called OSS and non-OSS repos. Security and recommended updates are on the Update-OSS and Update-non-OSS repos. We recommend to also add the Packman repo to your list of active repos (See the first three sticky threads in our Multimedia forum: https://forums.opensuse.org/english/get-technical-help-here/multimedia/). But we also warn you to add to many other repos, they may be incompatibel and give you problems (specialy for the beginner.
You can see which repos you have available for software installation with YasT > Software > Software repositories (and of course you can manage the list there). YYou can also use
On 2013-11-15 10:56, a davison wrote:
>
> Good Morning!
>
> This is my first post to the forums and I’m not sure if this question
> has been asked perviously, but can someone please explain to me what a
> repository is?
A collection of software prepared by someone.
That someone maybe openSUSE, or it may be a group of volunteers.
Warning: you do not normally need to add any repository, zillions of
packages are already available on the default repository setup you get
when installing. You only need to add packman for multimedia (read the
multimedia forum stickers).
I mention this because often novices go into a clicking madness and add
every repo in sight - the more repos you have, the more complex it
becomes to maintain your system.
Specially beware of repos with “home” in their name. Only install those
when you know better
> I’ve almost been forced to move my laptop onto Opensuse
> as I was running Window’s when my hard disk give up, but because I
> bought the laptop reconditioned direct from Toshiba, they didn’t provide
> me with a Window’s disc and refused to pay Micro$oft £135 for a
> replacement disc!!!
My condolences, and welcome here
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 12.3 x86_64 “Dartmouth” at Telcontar)
Thanks a lot it makes much more sense to me now. So far I haven’t installed any repositories, so I will download the recommended multimedia ones and then stop until I actually know what I’m doing
That is a good idea, but I am sorry to correct you. You download/install packages. The place where those packages come from are the repositories. You do not download repos, you subdscribe to them. This may seem a bit pedantic, but using the correct wording makes thing much easier for everybody.
Feel free to correct ANYTHING that I say/do incorrectly. I thought I was pretty good with computers until I started using openSUSE and now I realise…I’ve been a Micro$oft monkey all along…sigh
Also after consideration I think I might put the disc back in and start from square one just to make sure I’ve not gone click happy and accidently subscribed to repositories that I shouldn’t have. I’ve got no personal data on my laptop yet so I wouldn’t be losing anything but time!
That shouldn’t be necessary. To see what you have, open a terminal and enter ‘zypper lr -d’. This will show you a detailed list of your repos. If you need to remove any, use ‘zypper rr <alias>’. You have a repository manager in YaST as well.
I supprt his. Reinstalling is so Micro$oft (as you express it). Using the tools (either YaST or zypper) teaches you much more. And when you are in doubt, start a new thread here.
Thank you for asking davison, I always wanted to know but was embarrassed to ask.
Thusly, it give me a chance to ask a few things.
Do I get the standard repos that you mention, as part of an install ? I think I do.
Are the repos kept locally ?
Of course there is a set of standard repos you are subscribed to (and they are mentioned in one of the posts above!!!). Else no software would be available for installation!
And please, when you have read all of the above, then you will know by now how to look which repos are in the list on your system. Instead of starting asking what is already explained, why do you not use either YaST > Software > Softwarerepositories or
zypper lr -d
to see for yourself and then eventualy ask for clarification of things you do not understand (of course with posting of that zypper list between CODE tags in the post).
