On Mon, 11 Aug 2003, Mike Starke wrote:

> On Mon, Aug 11, 2003 at 07:30:47AM -0700, Michael Havens wrote:
> /_HOw does apt-get work? Do you type ion what you want and then it searches the
> /_web for said program until it finds it?
> /_
>
> In the file /etc/apt/sources.list is a list of sites that apt uses
> to build a "database" of files available.
>
> 'apt-cache search <package>' will search that database to see if it is available.
> 'apt-get install <package>' will install that package by first retrieving it from
> a site in /etc/apt/sources.list.

And "apt-get update" is used to update the database (so you can install or
upgrade to new software versions, for example).

Also, Mike, you can learn more about it at:
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/reference/ch-system.en.html#s-apt
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/users-guide/ch-iraus.en.html#s-iarpwtagc
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-tutorial/ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-apt
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/apt-howto/

   Jeremy C. Reed
   http://www.reedmedia.net/