Newbie Package Group Question

[aecooper-uk]

Hello,

I have been using Unix for over 28 years and administering it for over 20, including assorted Linuxes, I have just started giving Debian a go. SunOS/Solaris/Slackware/RedHat all give you the `install everything' option when setting it up. This gives you a `standard/mainstream Unix' environment (HPUX asside). Obviously the `install everything' is crazy with debian but is/are there package groups that can be used to install all standard Unix command line programs typically found in other Linuxes/Unixes? I have seen references to build-essentials but is there a list of package groups and what they would install? The closest I have come to this is Synaptec's package sections but these seem too all encompassing for what I am after.

E.g. after setting up a system I don't want to have to keep adding standard things like g++, gdb, ddd etc but do something like apt-get --group text-tools, apt-get --group dev-tools...

MTIA,

Tony.

[hazel]

If you install the "standard system" that will give you all the Unix utilities but no graphics. "Desktop" gives you a GUI. All the compilation tools and standard library headers are in a package called "build-essential". If you want a minimal system, the easiest way to get one is to use the net install option; this installs a minimal system and you download and add what you want.

[aecooper-uk]

Hi Hazel ,

Many thanks for that, I was expecting there to be a family of package groups not just the one and it was g++ that caught me out.

Cheers,

Tony .

[Jackiebrown]

If you click advance in the installer, you can choose another DE

[Absent Minded]

if you run aptitude from the cli it will give you an interface to pick and choose various meta packages or indavidual packages as you wish.