RSS - Posts
Like GetDeb? Now you can get their packages from a repo
Posted by BostonPeng on 8 November 2009
One of the best ways to get updated software for Ubuntu Linux, as well as other Debian-based distros, is from GetDeb.net. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used their packages to get an update that isn’t available from official Ubuntu repositories or PPA’s.
They’ve recently launched an updated site for users of Ubuntu 9.04 and newer, and one of the great new benefits is that they now have a repository you can add to your sources.list. You can either manually add their repo and key, or you can do it even more easily by downloading their getdeb package which will automatically add their repo and repo’s PGP signing key.
If you’re needing software for older versions of Ubuntu, or want to use the familiar website interface you already know and love, you can use their legacy website that remembers all of the users who signed up with them.
Unfortunately, if you have a free account with their old site you’ll need to create a new account to use their new site. I used their contact form to email the devs about not being able to log in, and Vadim Peretokin informed me that he doesn’t believe the user database was migrated to the new site. It may be a pain to have to create a new account, but it is free, and it only takes a few minutes to create the account and validate it from the email they’ll send you.
Either way, you’ll definitely want to check out the new GetDeb website and repository. It will make your life easier as you try to use newer versions of software than is in the official repositories and you won’t have to compile any code to use them, either.
Paradiesstaub said
Thanks for the info!
lefty.crupps said
GetDeb doesn’t have Debian software; what a poor misnomer. I wish Ubuntu would promote their own brand identity by changing their package formats to .ubu files, leaving Debian to keep its .deb format.
Red Hat, Fedora, and SuSE all use incompatible RPM files, does this help anyone? Why is this suddenly a good idea on the Ubuntu side? (answer: it’s not)
BostonPeng said
GetDeb doesn’t have Debian software? Any package I get from them is .deb packages so I don’t see why it’s a misnomer to say they’re a third-party source for Debian software.
Personally I wouldn’t want to see Ubuntu using their own package format, mainly because it would mean even more work for developers who already have to deal with RPM’s and DEB’s as well as makingit available in tarballs. If another package format is added for Ubuntu users it may leave devs deciding to make Ubuntu users install from source rther than having to deal with yet another set of packaging requirements.
João Pinto said
You do understand that .deb is about the package format and that Ubuntu is a Debian based distribution right ?
BostonPeng said
I do, João. Perhaps I should have been more clear about that in my post. I’ll add a clarification.
Vadim P. said
He speaks the truth… getdeb does Ubuntu packages, not Debian ones.
Some builds might be compatible, but it’s all built on ubuntu machines for ubuntu heh.
BostonPeng said
Ah, ok. I wasn’t aware that Ubuntu-compiled .deb’s aren’t necessarily compatible with other Debian-based distros. Knowing that does make sense that perhaps the site should make a clearer distinction about what patforms they support.
Do you know the reason why Ubuntu-compatible != Debian-compatible? It’s definitely a matter I’d like some education on.
Mash123 » GetDeb.net Repository Makes Newer Ubuntu Apps Easily Available said
[...] can still grab packages at GetDeb’s legacy web site. GetDeb.net ͞ Beta [via I'm Just an Avatar] Share and [...]
GetDeb.net Repository Makes Newer Ubuntu Apps Easily Available [Linux] · TechBlogger said
[...] GetDeb’s repository is free to use and install. Hit the link for instructions on adding it to your 9.04 or 9.10 Ubuntu system; users of older Ubuntu systems can still grab packages at GetDeb’s legacy web site. GetDeb.net V2 Beta [via I'm Just an Avatar] [...]
GetDeb.net Repository Makes Newer Ubuntu Apps Easily Available | Lifehacker Australia said
[...] GetDeb.net V2 Beta [via I'm Just an Avatar] [...]
GetDeb.net Repository Makes Newer Ubuntu Apps Easily Available [Linux] « AccessTech News said
[...] GetDeb.net V2 Beta [via I'm Just an Avatar] [...]
GetDeb.net Repository Makes Newer Ubuntu Apps Easily Available [Linux] | Geek News and Musings said
[...] GetDeb’s repository is free to use and install. Hit the link for instructions on adding it to your 9.04 or 9.10 Ubuntu system; users of older Ubuntu systems can still grab packages at GetDeb’s legacy web site. GetDeb.net V2 Beta [via I'm Just an Avatar] [...]
GetDeb.net Repository Makes Newer Ubuntu Apps Easily Available [Linux] | Beyond Tech - Technology Ahead Of Your Imagination said
[...] GetDeb’s repository is free to use and install. Hit the link for instructions on adding it to your 9.04 or 9.10 Ubuntu system; users of older Ubuntu systems can still grab packages at GetDeb’s legacy web site. GetDeb.net V2 Beta [via I'm Just an Avatar] [...]
Techno Information » Blog Archive » GetDeb.net Repository Makes Newer Ubuntu Apps Easily Available [Linux] said
[...] GetDeb’s repository is free to use and install. Hit the link for instructions on adding it to your 9.04 or 9.10 Ubuntu system; users of older Ubuntu systems can still grab packages at GetDeb’s legacy web site. GetDeb.net V2 Beta [via I'm Just an Avatar] [...]
Oh! my Gott » Blog Archive » GetDeb.net Repository Makes Newer Ubuntu Apps Easily Available [Linux] – 9877th Edition said
[...] GetDeb’s repository is free to use and install. Hit the link for instructions on adding it to your 9.04 or 9.10 Ubuntu system; users of older Ubuntu systems can still grab packages at GetDeb’s legacy web site. GetDeb.net V2 Beta [via I'm Just an Avatar] [...]