Re: Install only the needed *applications*

[Devon <devon tuxfan homeip net>]

On Friday 31 August 2001 09:03 am, Marco Fioretti wrote:

> After using linux for some years, I now know which applications
> I like best for each task (text editing, graphics, www browsing,...).
> for the same reason, I also realize that I always end up with a lot
> of unneded stuff on my HD, unless I do spend a lot of time picking
> packages by hand, with trial and error.
>
> Now, let's assume that I have successfully installed the bare, bare
> RH system on a PC. At this point, what is the best (script based)
> way to:
>
> 	1) install X11 with only the server for the card I actually
> 	   have
>
> 	2) declare the *single applications* I need, and let the system sort
>            all the dependencies out and put on the PC the *minimum*
> 	   set of RPMs needed (picking them from *all* the RH CDs)?
>
> In other words, I would like to be able to say through a script:
>
> 	**I** want to use {gcc, perl, mutt, apache, postfix,
> 			cups and not lpd,
> 			pppd, iptables, ssh
> 			blackbox and no other file managers,
> 			emacs without X support, bash, fetchmail,
> 			gimp and gimp only, no other GNOME things
> 			konqueror and no other kde things
> 			....add your favourite apps here
>
> 			}
>
> 	**YOU** (bare RH system) sort out all the dependencies and
> 	pick only what is needed from the CD(s) while I go to lunch
>
>
> I know about kickstart, but that is for another use: installation
> on many identical machines. I only have one PC, and want to fully
> customize it for my needs in the shortest possible time right after
> installation.

If you have the up2date package installed, you can do something along 
the lines of: 
up2date gcc perl mutt apache postfix ......(more apps here.)
up2date should download and install the most recent released versions 
of the requested software, solving the dependencies as well.
I haven't tried many packages at once, but it does work very well for 
individual packages.

Hope that helps,

-D