Help needed Please! Debian KDE 3.5 and GCC compiler 4.3.3 advice?

[I am Penguin]

From my post here http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?p=3068106#post3068106

I felt I should rather ask the question here too.
This is what is specified by Tuks

The platform that you have to use is Linux, and all programming assignments will be marked on a Linux platform. You have to make sure that your programs run on Linux. If not, then your programs will not be evaluated.

3. The programming language used for COS110 is C++. All programming assignments must be implemented using C++.

4. Please note that all programming assignments will be marked using scripts. This means that you have to follow the instructions of the assignments very carefully. If you deviate from the specifications of the assignment, then the scripts will not be able to mark your programs, in which case you will get zero, or a very low mark.

5. Note that all code must run successfully on the environment as provided in the Informatorium. Debian with KDE 3.5 is loaded on the machines in the Informatorium. The version of the GCC compiler used is 4.3.3.

I presume this in RED is what she will need? . Any advice?

The aim is to code, practise, compile and run her exercises when/if she have time, on the same platform as the varsity.

Questions:

Which Distro is recommended
There is now a stable KDE4.3 would that suffice
Must we use the GCC4.3.3 compiler
Where can I download the Linux distro and GNU from locally.
How do I set up Dualboot Linux/XP or Win7
I presume so, but would the actual coded program remain the same if coded on on Visual Studio, Visual C++, "Intel® C++ Compiler Professional Edition for Linux" and then just recompiled on GCC 4.3.3?

Any help to get me going on Linux/C++ FAST will be appreciated.

 

[I am Penguin]

OK, I missed the boat. Seems to me this is what I would need first? But it is v5.0 already?

http://www.debian.org/distrib/

This release includes numerous updated software packages, such as the K Desktop Environment 3.5.10 (KDE), an updated version of the GNOME desktop environment 2.22.2, the Xfce 4.4.2 desktop environment, LXDE 0.3.2.1, the GNUstep desktop 7.3, X.Org 7.3, OpenOffice.org 2.4.1, GIMP 2.4.7, Iceweasel 3.0.6 (an unbranded version of Mozilla Firefox), Icedove 2.0.0.19 (an unbranded version of Mozilla Thunderbird), PostgreSQL 8.3.6, MySQL 5.0.51a, GNU Compiler Collection 4.3.2, Linux kernel version 2.6.26, Apache 2.2.9, Samba 3.2.5, Python 2.5.2 and 2.4.6, Perl 5.10.0, PHP 5.2.6, Asterisk 1.4.21.2, Emacs 22, Inkscape 0.46, Nagios 3.06, Xen Hypervisor 3.2.1 (dom0 as well as domU support), OpenJDK 6b11, and more than 23,000 other ready-to-use software packages (built from over 12,000 source packages).

But then

What is this? http://www.kde.org/announcements/4.3/index.php

From local FTP I found this:

.. seems to be the Correct GCC 4.3.3 ftp://ftp.is.co.za/mirror/ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gcc/gcc-4.3.3/
Or
.. should I use the latest? ftp://ftp.is.co.za/mirror/ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gcc/gcc-4.4.1/

Now how do I get all this together as a working development platform?

 

[Drake2007]

I see there's an .iso with KDE on the ftp server.

Regarding Visual Studio, that is Windows specific, best to stick with Linux development tools.

 

[I am Penguin]

I see there's an .iso with KDE on the ftp server.

Regarding Visual Studio, that is Windows specific, best to stick with Linux development tools.

Which one, I feel like a cameleon on a smarties box.

 

[BigAl-sa]

Why not ask one of the lab admins for their image of the Informatorium's Linux and cast it onto a partition on your own hard drive? You will then be using the same version of everything that the lecturer wants.

Any help to get me going on Linux/C++ FAST will be appreciated.

Learn vi

Was only a joke Aqua. No qualms. I will give Linux a bash when I have more time to go through the learning curve but at my age I think the time is running out fast!

Looks like the time has arrived...

 

[I am Penguin]

Why not ask one of the lab admins for their image of the Informatorium's Linux and cast it onto a partition on your own hard drive? You will then be using the same version of everything that the lecturer wants.

Learn vi


Looks like the time has arrived...

Yeah. its one of those things that catch up with you, it creeps up and catch you asleep. I loaded YDL 6.1 on PS3 but had no time to play with it extensively. Now for my girls sake I will have to digg in deep.

Whether the Lab admin will allow the image clone I do not know. They apparently prefer you to use the Lab facilities.

 

[milomak]

Debian Etch comes with KDE3 (not suer of which version exactly).

Don't know which gcc version it has but I would imagine the etch-backports would have the specified version if it is one of the latest.

 

[concentricpuddle]

You can download the latest Debian with KDE3 at ftp://ftp.is.co.za/linux/distributi....2a/i386/iso-cd/debian-502a-i386-kde-CD-1.iso

You can then install gcc (specifically g++) 4.3.3 using the repositories (holler if you need help with that). I'm can't recommend a dev environment for C++ though. KDevelop seems best (but I've had a lot of trouble just getting it to do simple things.). I'm downloading QtCreator (http://qt.nokia.com/downloads) right now (I've read good things about it.) Let you know how that goes.

Edit: The fact that they're specifying GCC probably means that you'll be compiling by hand so an IDE won't be of much help. In that case I recommend Kate (included in the Debian KDE install) for your development needs.

 

[Kasyx]

Which Distro is recommended
There is now a stable KDE4.3 would that suffice
Must we use the GCC4.3.3 compiler
Where can I download the Linux distro and GNU from locally.
How do I set up Dualboot Linux/XP or Win7
I presume so, but would the actual coded program remain the same if coded on on Visual Studio, Visual C++, "Intel® C++ Compiler Professional Edition for Linux" and then just recompiled on GCC 4.3.3?

Any help to get me going on Linux/C++ FAST will be appreciated.

You're gonna need Debian, which you can download locally from:

http://debian.mirror.ac.za/debian-cd/5.0.0/i386/iso-cd/debian-500-i386-kde-CD-1.iso

Instead of Dual Booting, I would recommend just running it in a virtualised environment. You can use VMware, but I prefer Virtual Box which you can get here:

http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/3.0.4/VirtualBox-3.0.4-50677-Win.exe

I would not recommend using a later version of KDE if possible (although I could be wrong). If they are using KDE3.5, I recommend you do the same just in case.

Your Debian install will likely come with gcc pre-installed. You can use the repositories to make sure you have the right version. And yes, make sure it is gcc4.3.3.

I would not recommend using a Microsoft IDE as it seems they want you to write it yourself and compile it using gcc. As for what to write it in? Kate, as mentioned earlier, although I prefer gedit. It is basically like notepad, only far more awesome.

In case you are unsure:

"Linux" just refers to the kernel, on top of which all applications (from ls to X11) are run. KDE is what is known as a Window Manager, effectively a graphical interface that sits on top of your Linux installation (in much the same way Windows up until 2000 sat on top of DOS). The great thing about Linux is that it allows one to compile applications from source (this is where gcc comes in). Almost all Linux distributions come with some form of gcc pre-loaded to allow you to install from source.

 

[froot]

From my post here http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?p=3068106#post3068106

I felt I should rather ask the question here too.
This is what is specified by Tuks



I presume this in RED is what she will need? . Any advice?

The aim is to code, practise, compile and run her exercises when/if she have time, on the same platform as the varsity.

Questions:

Which Distro is recommended
There is now a stable KDE4.3 would that suffice
Must we use the GCC4.3.3 compiler
Where can I download the Linux distro and GNU from locally.
How do I set up Dualboot Linux/XP or Win7
I presume so, but would the actual coded program remain the same if coded on on Visual Studio, Visual C++, "Intel® C++ Compiler Professional Edition for Linux" and then just recompiled on GCC 4.3.3?

Any help to get me going on Linux/C++ FAST will be appreciated.

1. Which Distro is recommended
I would just use Ubuntu hey. If you haven't used Linux before much Debian is going to whip your ass (it's less user-friendly but a heck of a lot more powerful, something which you don't quite need).

2. There is now a stable KDE4.3 would that suffice
Go tell the TechTeam that. They will kick you and laugh at you. Debian doesn't do KDE4.3

3. Must we use the GCC4.3.3 compiler
It's best to do so. The compiler for GCC v 1.00 is VERY different to the new one. 4.3.3 has been around for a while now and is what most people use.

4. Where can I download the Linux distro and GNU from locally.
You have COS modules and still ask that question? 4th Floor IT building.... just past the COSI office is a freedom toaster....

5. How do I set up Dualboot Linux/XP or Win7
Partition your hdd and install Linux on the new partition. The install is a guide on it's own. You can also use a Virtual Machine that would suffice.

6. I presume so, but would the actual coded program remain the same if coded on on Visual Studio, Visual C++, "Intel® C++ Compiler Professional Edition for Linux" and then just recompiled on GCC 4.3.3?
Nooooooooooooooooooo!! Not the same thing. A lot of code would work, but as soon as you go into more nitty gritty things then it's going to give a lot of issues (Windows vs Unix libraries).
I use SCITE (Scintilla Text Editor) combined with GCC. It allows you to compile your code just where it is without any software packages such as Eclipse. You should still however become familiar with make and make clean commands in the terminal as it's a very important part of GCC.

My points:
1. COS110 has a prerequisite.... so how come she [-]you don't[/-] doesn't know C++?
2. You're only asking these questions now... the semester started 6 weeks ago.

Hope you manage. I have COS110 myself (changed degrees) so I can try help you if you need help.

 

[milomak]

They seem to be running a mixed environment. Even Lenny is not running gcc-4.3.3

$ apt-cache policy gcc-4.3
gcc-4.3:
  Installed: 4.3.4-2
  Candidate: 4.3.4-2
  Version table:
 *** 4.3.4-2 0
        500 http://debian.mirror.ac.za sid/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     4.3.4-1 0
        500 http://debian.mirror.ac.za testing/main Packages
     4.3.2-1.1 0
        500 http://debian.mirror.ac.za stable/main Packages

However Lenny is running 3.5

$ apt-cache policy kdebase
kdebase:
  Installed: 5:53
  Candidate: 5:53
  Version table:
 *** 5:53 0
        500 http://debian.mirror.ac.za sid/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     4:4.2.4-1 0
        500 http://debian.mirror.ac.za testing/main Packages
     4:3.5.9.dfsg.1-6 0
        500 http://debian.mirror.ac.za stable/main Packages

So my guess is asking them what /etc/apt/sources.list file they run.

 

[froot]

They seem to be running a mixed environment. Even Lenny is not running gcc-4.3.3

$ apt-cache policy gcc-4.3
gcc-4.3:
  Installed: 4.3.4-2
  Candidate: 4.3.4-2
  Version table:
 *** 4.3.4-2 0
        500 http://debian.mirror.ac.za sid/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     4.3.4-1 0
        500 http://debian.mirror.ac.za testing/main Packages
     4.3.2-1.1 0
        500 http://debian.mirror.ac.za stable/main Packages

However Lenny is running 3.5

$ apt-cache policy kdebase
kdebase:
  Installed: 5:53
  Candidate: 5:53
  Version table:
 *** 5:53 0
        500 http://debian.mirror.ac.za sid/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     4:4.2.4-1 0
        500 http://debian.mirror.ac.za testing/main Packages
     4:3.5.9.dfsg.1-6 0
        500 http://debian.mirror.ac.za stable/main Packages

So my guess is asking them what /etc/apt/sources.list file they run.

Tuks uses their own mirror
Which is up to date with mirror.ac.za and the intl mirrors. They just keep to a standard that works best (stability is a very important thing as the computers are used for farm processing).

 

[FacELesS.]

The linux image used in the labs (informatorium and openlabs) were setup during December 2008 and it was based on the unstable branch. Lenny wasn't released at that time and packages in etch seemed terribly old. In hind sight I probably should have based it on the stable(etch) release at that time. So that GCC version was the latest as of December 2008. Currently none of the debian branches carry the 4.3.3 version, which sucks, but per chance ubuntu 9.04 does. The ubuntu packages are semi-interchangeable, although not recommended.

My understanding is, from a non-programmer, that the difference between the mirco-versions of GCC is only bug fixes, so 4.3.2(lenny), 4.3.4(testing) should give the same results as 4.3.3. This I cannot confirm though and is only speculation from my side and a few others I have spoken to who knows more about programming than I.

Unfortunately the linux image used in the labs will not change until year end, for consistency's sake.

I'd like to point any student with any linux problems relating to the Computer Science courses to "techteam AT cs.up.ac.za" (If the problem doesn't relate to techteam's specific responsibilities it will depend on our mood/schedule whether we will help out ).

EDIT: I do recommend that any TUKS student that wants to setup linux at home for the specific purpose of practicing their programming to use some debian based system, such as Ubuntu.