What are the top 20 most popular Red Hat 9 software packages.

[AlienRoadShow]

Here's a list of Red Hat 9 software packages provided to the purchaser. I obtained this list from 'John Poff' in another thread. I ignorant to Linux so can someone list out the top twenty packages to concentrate on first? And maybe the top ten worse that can be ignored because they are never used. Thanks!

http://www.redhat.com/software/linux/technical/packages.html

(* 10 points for everyone! *)

[Jerome Henry · Accepted solution]

Hi,

First, notice that many of these packages are set up for the system, like some dlls in windows, you do not need to work them all. For the ones you may be interested in to learn linux, here's my selection :

The gimp : wonderful photoshop like app.
Openoffice : ms office like suite.
Many useful tools : ethereal (network capture program), xmms (sound utility), KMIDI and Timidity, kind of same purpose, of course VI and VIM, text editor, emacs, editor and programming tool, Glade Interface designor (says what it is)... I do not mention games aprt from Tuxracer, a must know...

But best advice, install full RH9, adn try it by yourself !

J

[John Poff]

Hi Bill,

The answer is, it all depends on what you want to do with your Linux system.
Are you just trying to learn Linux? Are you planning on trying to get
certified? Do you need to know the software you will need to run a web
server? A database server? There are a lot of different directions you
could go in.

I'd suggest that you get a copy of Linux and install it on your PC, and then
go buy a good book on Linux and start working through it.

Here is my take on some of the 'packages' you should look at. Several of
them are quite involved [the gcc compiler, perl, python, mysql], and will
send you on separate courses of study, but you should at least know what
they are and have an idea of what they can do. They are ones that you are
likely to come across in the Linux world. I didn't set out to pick 20
packages, it just worked out that way as I made my way through the list:


cups Common Unix Printing System
ethereal Network traffic analyzer
gcc The GNU cc and gcc C compilers
httpd Apache web server
iptables Tools for managing Linux kernel packet filtering capabilities
lsof A utility that lists open files on a Linux/UNIX system
lvm Linux Logical Volume Manager utilities
mozilla A web browser
mrtg Multi Router Traffic Grapher
mysql MySQL client programs and shared library
openoffice OpenOffice.org comprehensive office suite
openssh The OpenSSH implementation of SSH protocol versions 1 and 2
perl The Perl programming language
php The PHP HTML-embedded scripting language. (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor)
postfix Postfix Mail Transport Agent
python An interpreted, interactive, object-oriented programming language
samba The Samba SMB server
squid The Squid proxy caching server
vnc A remote display system
vsftpd vsftpd - Very Secure Ftp Daemon


JP

[Balaji N]

hi

a very tricky questions. you are asking for some popular packages. and every one has their own choice.

let me try to list mine.

1. XFCE desktop
2. Galeon Browser
3. Oort Gnus within Emacs as my mail client.
4. LAMP (the apache / mysql / php combination running on linux)
5. Latex / GV and other related utilities
6. Openoffice
7. gimp
8. shells and the numerous utilities
9. screen (an application for working with multiple windows)
10. cdrecord (hmmm. i can convert my mp3 files to cd tracks as well)

to ignore. no never. u try everything and u will find something to learn.

cheers
-balaji

[AlienRoadShow]

See I would never have known any of this.

And I need to learn perl.

How's about the list of 10 dogs? What's extraneous baggage?

[Balaji N]

bill,
we are just talking of the applications.

and i forgot to add mrtg. it is one of the best monitoring tools for the network.

and may be done get into configuring applications like sendmail / ipchains/ kernel rebuilding etc.. immediately.

you can take them leisurely. may be you can start with this link.(was reffered to be my somebody)

rute.sourceforge.net


the important point to remember is just to stay on with it even if you dont get something working on the first day.

all tbe best.

-balaji

[Jerome Henry]

Oh Yes !

Balaji deserves sth here ! Rute is defintitely a good tutorial to read, download and print !
A full tutorial on Linux, in many aspects :
another link to it here :http://www.pucmmsti.edu.do/materias/fnunez/RUTE_TUT/RUTE.html

And, as said before you'll find many resources for starting at :
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/
Frankly speaking, almost all I had to know to become rhce was summarized here !

What makes Linux famous on Network applications, are Apache, Squid, wu-ftpd (wether you think it's safe or not), and tools like mrtg, snort and of course Iptables. Reading on them will make you go deep into Linux power and spirit !
(adding to your last reply on the other tip, you can mark this 0 if you wish ! I'm more trying to help tha to sandbag !)
J

[Claudio Cilloni]

I would like to put an accent about Python. Personally I think it can do anything Perl could do, and it is easier without loosing Perl's power. Python sources are extremely more readable than Perl's (and this isn't a detail). The only reason (for me) to use Perl is the great availability of external modules, but there are a lot of Python modules for the general uses (the ones included with the base installation are really good) and a lot of programmers now are reducing this gap with Perl.
give a look at www.python.org.

I suggested SciTE (www.scintilla.org), a really great text editor for programmers. I use this everyday at work.

What else? iptables, lvm, xmms... I agree with the other answers... ;-)

Ciao
Claudio

[Caesar_3]

Hello!

That's what i think is the best:
XFree86
bash
gcc
iptables
kdevelop
kernel
mozilla
openssh
perl
sudo
vi
tar
ddd
ethereal
koffice
grub
nmap
less
lvm
make

Caesar

[Huc_1]

Hello

The RedHat linux distribution packages/tools I use/like most are ...

bash
perl
emacs
ssh
tar
dump/restore
gnome
mozilla
evolution
Openoffice
Gimp
cdrecord
mc
xpdf
setup
up2date
lilo
iptraf
ethereal
nmap

I would also give a ++ to rpm and rhnd (RedHat network deamon) subscribe to the demo is free.

Hope you will find this usefull

Jean-Pierre.

[Runar Jørgensen]

Greetings

The question Bill Hall is raising is one I've asked myself. Although
y'all provided insight and lists, I believe John Poff is hitting the
nail. Quote: "The answer is, it all depends on what you want to do with
your Linux system."

Now, Bill asks us for the "top 20 most popular RH9 software
packages". OK, so this could boil down to pure counting of downloaded
packages from RH. The answer will most likely be updates of fonts,
runtime libs, apache-upgrades, etc. I don't think Bill is asking for
that answer. Am I right if you ask for the top 20 most _useful_
packages?

There are a couple of questions you need to ask yourself. Obviously
the most popular packages would be those most useful to you. Are you a
developer? Your forum profile dosen't give me any hints. If you are,
the answers given already are the ones suitable for you. Are you
newbie to linux? Then you're probably not interrested in server
packages either. Don't know what a server is? OK! forget about
it. You're asking for the top 20 most useful packages for a linux
desktop. Let's stick strictly to a desktop environment. Most packages
are already mentioned. You'll need:

an email client (I use pine),
a web browser (I use opera),
a desktop environment (I use KDE),
a desktop manager (I don't remember what I use),
an editor (I use emacs),
some sound stuff (I use xmms),
some video stuff, (I use gmplayer, although with some difficulty),
an office package (I use OpenOffice)
a printing environment (I use cups),
a graphics/image manipulator (I'm learing to use gimp)

These are just 10 applications. But these get me through the
day. Mostly without too much hassle. Grab the packages that looks
most promising of all provided and have fun.

[Steven E. Protter]

You are certain to get lots of responses with that line ending.

1) Apache. Providing web pages is one of the most important features of a RH server. Red Hat 9 offers 2.x anbd stable 1.3 There is a learning curve for 2.x so I still use 1.3. If I can I'll install both on my next test server so I can integrate at my own pace.

2) Samba. This is the print/file sharing system that can be intregrated with almost any OS. Its also a long term threat to Microsoft server products. Its robust, easy to use and I highly recommend it.

3) Perl. The powerful Common Gateway Interface Language of the Internet. I must install. Fun to program in.

4) openssh. Secure shell. A secure way to admin servers with passwords travelling encrypted on the public Internet. Easier to deal with than NIS for password free user connections.

5) BIND. If you are really into web/internet, you need to service names, and set it up to be secure and able to withstand denial of service attacks.

6) ftp. Most servers still need to use it, you must make it as secure as possible. I see no need to use telnet btw.

7) Bastille Security Hardening. Going on my server exposed kick, this tool will more than any other let you make your server more secure.

Thats a good start.

SEP

[AlienRoadShow]

Wow - Lots and lots of good stuff.

Thank you everybody.

But nothing extraneous? No excess baggage in this O/S that rarely gets used, if ever?

PS - You guys are the best!

[Jerome Henry]

Hi Bill,

I forgot to thank you for this thread, it's a lot a fun for us...

As far as extraneous is concerned, I would put :

Several stuff in KDE (KDE is a graphical desktop, one among others, as there are many) : try it as a whole, you'll find super graphical heavy stuff like... tea warner, kind off icon that let you knwo when your tea is ready, a gentle worm that spends its time (and it has plenty of time) crossing your screen or jumping on it... Try it anyway and see by yourself. Many people feel it quite funny but heavy, I feel it heavy...

More seriously, a super tool, called redhat-config-xfree86, designed to configure your video card and screen, which needs to work... a correctly configured video card and screen ! Sign that all is not perfect in this world... (in fact, it comes in replacement of Xconfigurator, a lot better. My 2 penies that RH will improve that).

Hope you'lll have fun with your RH.

J

[Khalid A. Al-Tayaran]

Hi,

One more package: MPlayer for Linux Play video files.....

get it here: http://shrike.freshrpms.net/

[Khalid A. Al-Tayaran]

Hi,

NOT SO IMPORTANT:

Also for gamers, Unreal Tournament 2003 for Linux. Here:
www.unrealtournament2003.com

[John Meissner]

Some of the packages that I find very useful are:

expect - helps in automating scripts
lynx - text based web browser. I use this to get the external IP address of my cable/DSL router and mail the results to my hotmail account.

But as for other packages... it all depends on your needs. If you ask 100 different people you'll probably get 99 different answers.

[Balaji N]

hmm... nobody mentioned anything about wget.

one of the best tools for downloading stuff.
-balaji