How to know what is the best Team and Package in Launchpad for a specific program?

Ubuntu
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To install VirtualBox 7 on Ubuntu Desktop I need Install gcc 12.
After to did do a research I need two things mostly to work

  1. use the update-alternatives command
  2. use PPA to add a repository to work with multiples gcc

About the latter for example in many places in the web do mention about the sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test command.

Well the Team is located at “PPA for Ubuntu Toolchain Uploads (restricted)” team and the Package is located at Toolchain test builds where appears

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test
sudo apt update

Note: I don’t have any issue against this team but I am just using it for the current example in general.

  1. How to know all Teams that offers gcc?
  2. How to know which is the best Team that offers gcc?
  3. How to know what is the best Package for a specific program? (gcc in this case)

I did do realize there is no stars (like amazon about customer reviews or like
Ubuntu Software) about the package itself

I am writing this post mostly for the scenarios:

  • if the maintainers stops maintaining the package
  • simply the tutorial are out of date and there is a new Team with a new gcc support.

Thanks for your understanding

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I do not see why you would use a PPA just to add another version of gcc
I would add it as a package, then use update-alternatives to set which version is used.

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As you’re a virtual n00b to Linux - judging by your posts - I’d STRONGLY recommend you DO NOT INSTALL any PPA!

In another thread you started - you were having issues with the “DEB” download of VirtualBox - and when I asked why you needed that specific version - you didn’t give a clear answer - as to what the slightly later revision offered you, that the distro repo version of Virtualbox DID NOT - I think in a nutshell, you just wanted the latest version.

I’d 100% ALWAYS go for the package from my distro - I’m running Pop!_OS 22.04, and using VirtualBox (7.0.10) for a whole bunch of VMs : Oracle Linux, Red Hat, CentOS, Windows 10 and 11, and Windows Server 2019.

I’ve seen too many people who don’t know what they’re doing try to fix things by installing a DBA - I’ve seen “developers” try to install a PPA for some Ubuntu package onto Debian Jessie! WTF? Don’t do it!

What specific requirements do you need from VirtualBox that aren’t satisfied by the version that comes with your distro’s default repository?

My VirtualBox :

image
image642×519 66.4 KB

image
image1319×1349 230 KB

Sure they’re all powered off right now - but - I can run any of them any time I like…

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Agree 100%.
Stay with the package system… ALWAYS

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Thanks for the replies

I do not see why you would use a PPA just to add another version of gcc
I would add it as a package, then use update-alternatives to set which version is used.

Because many (more of 90%) tutorials and threads of Stack Exchange do mention of the update-alternative and PPA (for gcc). Since yesterday (before to read) your replies I started to do a research about gcc to be installed but without PPA. BTW! Huge thanks for the link shared!!!

I’d STRONGLY recommend you DO NOT INSTALL any PPA!

I am agree, but I assumed that perhaps for some specific Teams (and packages) there is a special consideration. For example a team being 100% trustable, it such as the git case. See Download for Linux and Unix, it has:

Debian/Ubuntu

For the latest stable version for your release of Debian/Ubuntu
# apt-get install git

For Ubuntu, this PPA provides the latest stable upstream Git version
# add-apt-repository ppa:git-core/ppa # apt update; apt install git

It is the unique PPA in my system.

In another thread you started - you were having issues with the “DEB” download of VirtualBox - and when I asked why you needed that specific version - you didn’t give a clear answer - as to what the slightly later revision offered you, that the distro repo version of Virtualbox DID NOT - I think in a nutshell, you just wanted the latest version.

Like I said in the other thread, I use .deb files because I always use the latest release of the software itself, if the same provider offers directly its own official installer newer than the Ubuntu Repositories, I use it, why? Because it has new features, bugs fixes and mostly security patches.

So far, I had used the .deb file approach for Visual Studio Code, Docker, Google Chrome, Opera, Vivaldi, Mysql. It since years ago without any problem even including VirtualBox 6.1.x. Each apt update/upgrade worked fine (it does not apply for Docker and VirtualBox - uninstall and install must be accomplished). But just only for 7.0.x this current situation appeared.

So something I have always in consideration, if the same Companies offers their own .deb files. Were they tested by themselves prior to be available in their own web pages, right? For example if you go to VirtualBox, there is for Linux, for many distributions and even according their releases.

Other case is VLC - at VLC media player for Ubuntu is practically mandatory use snap or apt as indicated directly by them.

But is clear for me after to read many tutorials is avoid the make and install commands. And yes, I use directly the Ubuntu repositories in peace to install many things, for example to install curl and others.

Therefore: I am agree the correct combination is update-builds and gcc (and as preference without PPA) but if in the same gnu indicates to use a specific PPA, it is other history.

I hope be clear my point.

Thus to complete the idea, I assumed that would exists a kind of internal control within Launchpad itself to recommended some Teams/Package among others or perhaps something similar as GitHub through Stars, Forks and Issues.

Best to all

6

Hi Manuel,
The problem with using the latest version of software is that it may be a mismstch with the other software in your system or with the kernel.
The whole point of having a package system is that it ensures that all the pieces of software work together. That is what package maintainers do… they test each package for compatability.
If you obtain software from anywhere outside the package system, you do not have that guarantee. In many cases you will get away with it, but not always.
The exception is bundled software… snaps, flatpak, appimage. That is designed to be independent of other software in your system, but it is not independent of the kernel.

PPA’s are not part of the package system and are not checked thoroughly for compatability. The Ubuntu world seems to have a fascination with PPA’s.Other distros like Debian offer newer software versions through the ‘testing’ repo, with adequate warnings.

Rolling release distros avoid all of this, by including new releases of software one package at a time, with checking of compatability. In my opinion, if you want latest versions, a rolling release distro is the best way to get it.

Regards
Neville

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@nevj
In my opinion, if you want latest versions, a rolling release distro is the best way to get it…
Or run Windows!!!

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I am very much with neville here, for most end users the package maintainers playing guard on the system is important. Yes some new features could be nice, but system stability for me

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Hello Neville

Thanks for the polite answer

The problem with using the latest version of software is that it may be a mismstch with the other software in your system or with the kernel.

I understand your point and has sense, and is very interesting the situation. But How different would be the same OS used by VirtualBox testers? I mean, your settings, my settings and his settings.

The whole point of having a package system is that it ensures that all the pieces of software work together. That is what package maintainers do… they test each package for compatability.

I see, it to absolutely and globally to confirm a complete harmony among all the packages. Is it the purpose? right?

If you obtain software from anywhere outside the package system, you do not have that guarantee. In many cases you will get away with it, but not always.

Has a lot of sense.

The exception is bundled software… snaps, flatpak, appimage. That is designed to be independent of other software in your system, but it is not independent of the kernel.

Very interesting, I didn’t know about that.

PPA’s are not part of the package system and are not checked thoroughly for compatability. The Ubuntu world seems to have a fascination with PPA’s.Other distros like Debian offer newer software versions through the ‘testing’ repo, with adequate warnings.

And it is very strange, why from the beginning was created this PPA if so far is not “safe”?.

Rolling release distros avoid all of this, by including new releases of software one package at a time, with checking of compatability

Yes, I am agree, but some times it takes a lot of time or never happens to get the latest release … for example about vim.

In my opinion, if you want latest versions, a rolling release distro is the best way to get it.

Do you mean a full upgrade such as 22.04 to 24.04? If yes, it happens each 12 months about LTS. It least with Fedora it happens twice each year if I am not mistaken. Of course it is part of the Linux life.

In my opinion, if you want latest versions, a rolling release distro is the best way to get it…
Or run Windows!!!

Or use macOS with Homebrew. But it is very restrictive about use the 2 latest OS available. Otherwise try to use macports … but it is other history

I am very much with neville here, for most end users the package maintainers playing guard on the system is important. Yes some new features could be nice, but system stability for me

Yes agree, the mentioned pair is important

Thanks to all

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A true rolling release distro ( like Arch or Void Or Solus or Gentoo) will upgrade at least once a fortnight. I do my Void update weekly.There will never be a ‘release’ that you have to install or upgrade to … it is like eternal LTS.

Right.
There can be mistakes, of course. They are usually quickly corrected.

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Thanks for the polite reply and thoughts Neville

I worked with:

  • install build-essential but was not useful because it works with gcc-11 yet
  • install gcc-12
  • update-alternatives for gcc for gcc-12

Finally was installed in peace VirtualBox 7.1.14 and even 7.1.18 in peace.
And yes, PPA was not used.

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