2. Install the software

2.1. The basics

Although RPM was originally designed to work with RedHat Linux, it also works on other rpm-based distributions: Mandrake Linux, Suse, Caldera, etc ; rpm is already installed on these systems.

You can get the vanilla rpm distribution from RedHat here: ftp://ftp.rpm.org/pub/rpm/dist/

The binary rpm you will build for Mandrake Linux may not work across the distributions, although Mandrake makes everything possible to stay compatible with Red Hat.

2.2. Building for Mandrake Linux

Building packages for Cooker (e.g. the development version of Mandrake Linux) is always submitted to small patches and enhancements on the rpm program in use. Open any Mandrake-Cooker mirror and get: