[AuckLUG] Readline and Python on SuSE 10.1

[Daniel Pittman]

"Marco Scuderi" <marco.scuderi at gmail.com> writes:

G'day Marco.

> I am fiddling with SuSe10.1 as a hobby but with some problems.
> One I cannot get pass is how to configure Python 2.4.3 to accept the module
> for readline 5.1.

Don't SuSE supply a package for the Python readline module?  It is
usually *much* easier to use a vendor package than add your own, and
readline is common enough that most vendors require it for something.

> I assume I have installed readline correctly albeit I do not have a clue as
> how to verify it, 

Typically, 'make test' or possible some Python module management system
specific equivalent -- I have not worked with hand packaged Python much,
so can't really help here.

[...]

> Also, what should I do to get more accustomed to Linux? 

Well, in my experience the best way to learn Linux, Windows or MacOS is
the same as the best way to learn a language: full immersion.

Stop using anything else.  Do everything you need to under Linux, and
never give up and go back to Windows or MacOS.  

This will be very painful for a few weeks, and then will start to get
more and more comfortable.


> Over the past few years I have tried and always failed to install
> GRASS 5, R statistical software, f2c, SPE, and a number of other
> dependencies required for these packages. Not that I am giving up, but
> not being able to run a single software I would like to use, makes
> using Linux a bit hard.

I certainly agree with that.  Perhaps you would find it easier to start
with a distribution that had existing packages for all those
applications.

My Ubuntu 6.10[1] install has GRASS 6.0.2, R 2.3.1 plus a wide range of
add-on modules, f2c, SPE and all the dependencies that you need for
those modules to work.

Debian will also have packages of them, although probably not nearly as
current a set of versions in their stable release.  

Gentoo may well also have these packages; their portage system is
usually pretty good, although I have not specifically used it or
checked.

Finally, for all I know both SuSE and Fedora have packages of these
available.  I didn't check, and I am vaguely assuming that you already
have or you wouldn't be trying to build from source.


Trying to build software from source code, and especially trying to
manage a system where you have done so, are actually very hard jobs --
much harder than they look from the outside.

I would strongly advise you to consider a distribution with those
applications packaged for you so that you can just use them, not have to
worry about building and maintaining them yourself for the moment.


> I tried attending the local LUGs when I was overseas and I was told my
> stuff was too obscure for them.

Sadly, yes, you would likely need to seek application specific support
groups for tools like GRASS and R -- they are outside the normal needs
of users.

A good place to start is subscribing to the user mailing lists for those
packages.  People there should be able to help you with the applications
once they are installed.


After all, compiling and installing the application is specific to your
distribution but once it is running they all work the same way at an
application level.


> I have attended an installfest only to be told they would only help
> with bistro installation, not specific packages.

That seems a shame.  I would have hoped people at the installfest would
at least help you identify which distributions have the software you
want and tell you how to install the packages yourself...

> What would you suggest I do now that I am back home?

I would suggest trying a distribution that has existing packages of the
software you want.  They all publish package lists on their websites;
consult those and find one that suits you.

Then get it installed.  You can probably manage that yourself, but if
you have trouble get someone to put a basic install on there.  You don't
need GRASS, etc, at this stage.

Once the basic Linux install is working you can take the next step: fire
up your distribution specific package installation tool, select GRASS, R
and all the other bits you want, hit install, and celebrate.

Then you have a working system with the software you need, but without
all this full and effort trying to compile and install the software
yourself.

Regards,
        Daniel

Footnotes: 
[1]  This is in the last week as a release candidate; the final version
     is due on the 28th of this month.  I do not suggest using
     pre-release versions of Linux unless you are an expert.
-- 
Digital Infrastructure Solutions -- making IT simple, stable and secure
Phone: 0401 155 707        email: contact at digital-infrastructure.com.au
                 http://digital-infrastructure.com.au/