I'm using MDK9.1, which was upgraded from 9.0 through FTP. However, I'm wondering whether it would also be possible to upgrade on-the-fly à la Debian (apt-get dist-upgrade) through URPMI (urpmi --auto-select). Of course with the 9.2 urpm-sources instead of 9.1. Has anyone tried this before?

I don't think urpmi was designed to work like that, for one thing I think you'd run in trouble trying to install the new kernel. There was once a live update option in the Control Centre, don't know how it worked (or if its still there).

I tried urpmi -auto select once before. It worked, problem is it bloated the system, installed loads of apps i didn't want. Your far better with selective control. IMHO.
BTW apt (mdk version) is in the contrib folder.

Won't the rpm and apt database conflict very often?

Not in my experience.
I actually prefer apt to urpmi, though urpmi has its uses, but thats just my opinion.

I suppose I have to use the Debian software archive when I decide to give apt a try? Can I also install single deb files? And what happens when I do apt-get dist-upgrade?

the version of apt for MDK uses RPMs, I believe (?) it doesn't quite function exactly like apt-get

It's apt 4 rpm, it won't use .deb's. You have to use rpm/urpmi repositories, and no, I've had no conflicts. Like anon, I prefer apt over urpmi as well :wink:

So I do have all apt features (like apt-get dist-upgrade), otherwise I dont really seethe point of using apt4rpm. Why do you like apt better? Anyway, thanks for the info.

Hmm, apt complains about missing deps apache2 and shadow-utils. It suggest to run apt-get -f install, but that command wil remove almost every single software package on my pc.

Btw how stable is the MDK cooker tree? As stable as Debian unstable? If so, Im going to give cooker a try, since Debian SID is stable enough for me.

As you can see from my avatar, I use Synaptic, a gui for apt. I've never tried dist-upgrate or ran apt from a terminal on mdk...never had the need. Is it an option? I don't remember? I haven't been able to consistanly run mdk for 3 or so mths. I like it because it doesn't hiccup like urpmi has a tendency to do, and because it's shows you what's broken and what to do to fix it.

is this what apt says on mdk?
Just remove? or Upgrade?

At present I run very few cooker pkgs, but that's about to change. Cooker can be stable one week and ruin everything you have the next.....seriously! It's nothing like sid on debian. Sid on debian is like running a default ML9.1 install, mostly. Just cutting edge. Cooker is testing, and not debian testing either it's hard core devel testing running everything to the edge of cutting edge Not at all recommended for your one and only install!