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Idea #4935: Ubuntu should explain apt-get versus aptitude

Written by Arthur Archnix the 17 Mar 08 at 18:57. Category: Installation. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: New
Rationale
According to the debian user manual, aptitude is the preferred method of adding and removing programs. Ubuntu official docs also mention that aptitude is a better way of adding and removing programs. Aside from these few official positions however, no clear explanation of the two exists, nor does Ubuntu appear to advocate the use of one or the other. On the other hand, experienced users will often recommend against using aptitude and to not mix the two, that is use one or the other.

It would be nice if the ubuntu developers would weigh in on the issue and explain which they use, which we should use, and how to switch between them if we choose. A wiki page or even just an expansion of information already available on the offical docs pages is all that would be required.
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #4935
Written by Arthur Archnix the 17 Mar 08 at 18:57.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #4935 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

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forum Ubuntuforums.org thread #727077


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Comments
tioum wrote on the 17 Mar 08 at 19:14
Yes, I am a new user and this is a confusing issue. It looks like I could break something by using both so I feel like I was put in a dangerous situation :)

XSP wrote on the 17 Mar 08 at 19:23
aptitude was known for better removing unneeded dependencies when uninstalling an application. Newer versions of apt have adopted this feature via "apt-get autoremove", so now it's more of a personal preference than anything. As someone who has used Debian for years, apt is what I am more comfortable with, but to each his own.

flip314 wrote on the 18 Mar 08 at 18:22
If you use synaptic, you should use apt-get. Otherwise you'll run into conflicts and either lose auto-remove information or have the package managers fighting to remove packages that the other installed.

It would be good to get an official view on this though.

_sebastian_ wrote on the 29 Mar 08 at 14:07
+1
I was under the impression that aptitude does a better job by now but you should not mix them. I would really apprechiate a official statement regarding
- which one to use (for non power user)
- what risks are involved by changing/using both
- how are the graphical interfaces (synaptic) dealing with the two options, are there do's and don'ts...

flip314 wrote on the 31 Mar 08 at 06:32
synaptic uses apt-get. aptitude has its own GUI (type aptitude without any arguments)


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