FAQ about mintInstall
Posted: Thu May 03, 2007 10:57 am
What is mintInstall?
mintInstall is a program which allows you to install software on your system without having to set up any configuration (repositories, keys, dependencies).
How does it work?
mintInstall reads .mint files. A .mint file is an archive which contains instructions to tell your system and APT how to install the software. All you have to do is click on a .mint file and mintInstall will use it to pilot APT and install the software for you.
Can you give an example?
Yes. Let's say you want to install Google Earth. You find the mint file for Google Earth (at present we're posting mint files in this forum, in the future we'll be using a dedicated portal for mintInstall), you click on it in Firefox. Firefox asks you if you want to open mintInstall, you say yes. A dialog opens and shows you what Google Earth is all about.. you click "Install" and the rest is done for you. Under the hood, mintInstall changes your repositories, updates your keys and installs Google Earth.
does mintInstall change my repositories?
Only while the software is being installed. After this is finished it puts them back the way they were.
Is mintInstall going to replace Gnome-App-Install (Add/Remove Applications) ?
It's very likely, yes.
will Linux Mint use CNR when this becomes ready for Ubuntu?
It's very unlikely, although still possible. mintInstall will probably be more suitable than CNR for Linux Mint.
is mintInstall stable?
Well.. it works. It could do with a bit of polishing At the moment it's version 1.3 and we're actively working on improving it.
can I install mintInstall?
Yes, add the cassandra repository to your /etc/apt/sources.list:
deb http://www.linuxmint.com/repository cassandra/
then do the following:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
Then you can use the mint files posted in the forum. If Firefox fails to open them, save them on your desktop and double click on them.
And can I install mintInstall without having to tweak my repositories?
Well that's kind of a chicken and egg situation
Have fun with mintInstall. It'll come preinstalled in Cassandra.
Note: If you're still using Bianca based on Edgy, don't install mint files made for Cassandra... unless you've upgraded to Feisty.
Clem.
mintInstall is a program which allows you to install software on your system without having to set up any configuration (repositories, keys, dependencies).
How does it work?
mintInstall reads .mint files. A .mint file is an archive which contains instructions to tell your system and APT how to install the software. All you have to do is click on a .mint file and mintInstall will use it to pilot APT and install the software for you.
Can you give an example?
Yes. Let's say you want to install Google Earth. You find the mint file for Google Earth (at present we're posting mint files in this forum, in the future we'll be using a dedicated portal for mintInstall), you click on it in Firefox. Firefox asks you if you want to open mintInstall, you say yes. A dialog opens and shows you what Google Earth is all about.. you click "Install" and the rest is done for you. Under the hood, mintInstall changes your repositories, updates your keys and installs Google Earth.
does mintInstall change my repositories?
Only while the software is being installed. After this is finished it puts them back the way they were.
Is mintInstall going to replace Gnome-App-Install (Add/Remove Applications) ?
It's very likely, yes.
will Linux Mint use CNR when this becomes ready for Ubuntu?
It's very unlikely, although still possible. mintInstall will probably be more suitable than CNR for Linux Mint.
is mintInstall stable?
Well.. it works. It could do with a bit of polishing At the moment it's version 1.3 and we're actively working on improving it.
can I install mintInstall?
Yes, add the cassandra repository to your /etc/apt/sources.list:
deb http://www.linuxmint.com/repository cassandra/
then do the following:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
Then you can use the mint files posted in the forum. If Firefox fails to open them, save them on your desktop and double click on them.
And can I install mintInstall without having to tweak my repositories?
Well that's kind of a chicken and egg situation
Have fun with mintInstall. It'll come preinstalled in Cassandra.
Note: If you're still using Bianca based on Edgy, don't install mint files made for Cassandra... unless you've upgraded to Feisty.
Clem.