Best way to download and use the latest WINE?

[woodsman]

I'm using LMDE, fully updated. I am new to Debian and Mint.

WINE is one of those packages where the latest version almost always is the preferred version. The Debian Testing version is a few versions behind the official release, but the LMDE version is way behind.

Just as important, is knowing how to update the dependencies. I'd like to use the latest official version, but WINE has many dependencies. I don't know the proper way to keep everything updated.

I am still fuzzy with Debian package management. I appreciate guidance understanding how to do this.

Thanks.

[DrHu]

I would also have a quick read-through wine HQ commentary ref their program
http://wiki.winehq.org/HowTo

Doesn't wine have the latest updated builds available..
http://www.winehq.org/site/download
--sometimes there is a PPA available, although I don't think that it the best idea, it is nevertheless an option, if you want an easily managed install, and if a PPA is available, it will likely (justs as that one) have a later or latest version of wine available..

[woodsman]

Thank you. I remain uncertain. Looks like Debian Testing has the latest stable. What kind of conflicts will I see when I add the Debian Testing branch to the apt sources? Is there a way to instruct the package management system that I am interested only in WINE and dependencies from Testing and no other packages? Should I instead install WINE from the LMDE repositories to pull all dependencies and then manually install WINE from Testing to get the newer version?

Although a separate topic, seems LMDE could be friendlier if Update Packs were more frequent. Not complaining --- I'm too new to Mint to have standing to complain, just observing. LibreOffice is another package that is way behind, but keeping that one package current is straightforward.

[grizzler]

A while ago, I added the Liquorix repository because of this: http://techpatterns.com/forums/about2158.html

I received the 1.7.18 packages yesterday.

http://liquorix.net/

[woodsman]

A while ago, I added the Liquorix repository because of this

Interesting and thanks.

At the moment I have received a reprieve of sorts. The single app I needed to test for a customer works fine with the LMDE version of WINE (1.4.1). Actually, I installed PlayOnLinux, which helped automate the entire process down to a single desktop icon. Very nice.

Yet as I mentioned, WINE is one of the few apps where the latest almost always is also the greatest. I would like to see WINE included with security updates --- as a package that is updated often outside the domain of Update Packs. While LMDE depends upon Debian Testing, Tesing does include the latest WINE stable. The folks who use WINE already understand the nature of the WINE project and thus, WINE could forego the normal LMDE testing period.

Although I run the risk of hijacking my own thread, in that light I would ask to include LibreOffice too. Many users migrating from Windows to Mint need the best transition support possible to move away from MS Office. LO continues to improve in that area with each release. As LO already comes in a Debian package, seems a script could repackage that into an LMDE version and each month LO would be available for updating.

Perhaps an easier solution is to consider monthly Update Packs for LMDE. I realize that is somewhat a controversial topic. Security updates are pushed now without regard to the Update Pack schedule. That includes Firefox and Thunderbird. Some folks might consider FF and TB as security updates and some might not. So adding WINE and LO to that list is not a huge expansion.

That said, I think monthly Update Packs would much reduce the common complaint found in these forums that UPs cause breakage. Monthly updates would mean less happens in one big punch. The UPs become more "bite size" rather than trying to swallow the entire animal all at once.

I am new to Mint and respect my limited standing to push for such changes.

[bobafetthotmail]

Wine use has always been tricky (being a rather complex software done with limited knowledge of Windows workings it has to translate), stuff works in one version and then stops working for a couple versions and then works again.

LibreOffice does have its bugs too, always updating to latest is not really the best option for work. You can easily get in situations where something that worked for years suddenly breaks and you're shafted.

LMDE is oriented towards work environments where you usually prefer reliability to latest and greatest. Windows does already a great job in releasing seemingly innocuous patches that break everything in the most inopportune moments.

Then again, most up-to-date stuff is in Debian Unstable or even Experimental (the latter only if you really know what you are doing) repositories, so it's not hard to add them to the repos list and then set them lower priority than Debian Testing and LMDE's own repos. This way you can find and install newer stuff manually without risk of your system suddenly updating everything to Unstable/Experimental repositories and becoming an unbootable mess of unmet package dependencies in the process.

Read this http://tech.ebuddy.com/2013/10/29/takin ... ositories/

[woodsman]

Thank you for the link. I admit Debian packaging is daunting at first, such as topics like pinning or mixing repositories so as not to cause a mess.

I appreciate the conservative approach of LMDE with not running directly from Debian Testing. I still wish UPs occurred more frequently so as to create manageable "bite size" changes.

[bobafetthotmail]

Meh, at least there is decent documentation available and most settings are plain text files.
I'm still amazed at how much guesswork, boxes of tricks (closed-source executables that alter unknown things) and sheer luck are still major factors when you are fixing a Windows system.

Doing some tests in a virtual machine (or guinea pig install in a multiboot PC) will help learning and understanding various advanced features (not just package things, also building from source or whatever) without major risks.

If you don't want to mess with repos, you can go and download packages manually from the official site https://www.debian.org/distrib/packages also linked in the blog. Then install them manually as any other .deb.
In the page of a package they list also dependencies, so you can (should) go and download manually them too.
It is a bit time-consuming but if you just need a couple specific programs it's the easier/safer way.

Btw, Ubuntu non-LTS releases are based off Debian Unstable. Don't let the name scare you off too much. If you need the features of something in there you can take it (and test that the other features you needed work). It's updating for the sake of having the latest version that is a bad habit for a reliable system.