diff b/w i386.rpm and i686.rpm

[Sharfuddin]

what is the difference b/w xxxx.i386.rpm and xxxx.i686.rpm
likewise some rpms are xxxxx.noarch.rpm, so please also let me know whats this 'noarch' means???

Regards
Sharf

[Bruce Copeland · Accepted solution]

Packages with i386.rpm will work for any intel x86 architecture equal or later than 386 (ie. 386, 486, 586, 686). In most cases there is no real difference between these architectures, and so i386.rpm is all you find. In a few cases, one or more later architectures can be optimized. Then you may see packages with both i386.rpm and i586.rpm or i686.rpm. If you actually have the later architecture, you will benefit from using the i586.rpm or i686.rpm instead of the i386.rpm. It is NOT however necessary to use the later architecture. Linux distributions and packages are also produced for completely different architectures (for example, alpha). There are a handful of packages that will work on i386 or alpha, etc. These packages are given the noarch.rpm designation because they work with everything.

Bruce

[Steven E. Protter]

The higher the number, may include optimisations for newer Intel compatible chips. On a practical basis, I've never had any trouble running these rpms on various hardware.

SEP

[Martin P.J. Zinser]

And just for completeness sake, "noarch" RPMs will not contain traditional executables, but stuff that works independend of the CPU architecture you use. These can be e.g. shell scripts, Perl scripts/modules, or Java classes.

Greetings, Martin

[Sharfuddin]

Hi All
Now I got it, i m clear now.
THANKYOU so much

Sharf