For those who are new to Linux, managing software installations and updates can seem daunting and, without a Windows-style, double-click installer in sight, even chaotic.
Actually, though, the RPM package management system that ships with major Linux distributions such as Red Hat and SuSE is good at keeping things organized under the covers—its interfacing with RPM that can prove tricky.
Ximians Red Carpet 2.0, which became available May 15, puts a friendly, helpful face on software installation and updating for the Red Hat, SuSE and Mandrake Linux distributions on which its available.
As with previous versions of Red Carpet, Version 2.0 enables users to subscribe to software channels, most importantly a channel for updates and available software for the users distribution.
New in 2.0 is a client/daemon structure for the application that allows for graphical or text-based updates or installations, either on a local machine or on a remote system thats running Red Carpet Daemon.
Red Carpet 2.0 works to sort out package dependencies based on the channels to which a user has subscribed, and if it cant find the packages it needs, the information about whats missing that Red Carpet provides is helpful for locating that data on ones own.
Red Carpet 2.0 is available for free download at www.ximian.com. If youre running one of the systems it supports, I suggest you give it a try.