

Package Managers – Linux’s Killer Feature? - amouat
http://www.adrianmouat.com/bit-bucket/2009/08/package-managers-linuxs-killer-feature/

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ramy_d
I totally agree. The biggest thing I noticed my first few months of switching
from windows to Ubuntu was that all my applications were managed through a
secure pipe called the repository. The repository was filled using
applications from a trusted source list which can be signed using a key. All
my apps get security and functionality updates and I don't have to check every
application provider to stay up to date. Nor do I have to hassle with more
than the latest version crowding my hard disk.

If I had to make a top 5 list of linux features over other operating systems,
#1 would be the package manager.

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nailer
I think this is one area that Linux, particularly Debian Linux, has really
innovated. Sure, there were software installation standards before, but one
tool to find, install, fetch dependencies, and upgrade everything at once was
pioneered by Debian.

But the innovators don't always end up being the successes. The iPhone and
Android both have Debian-like package managers, with improvements to the
discovery process. It wouldn't be unlikely that Apple would implement an App
Store for OS X too, and Microsoft to follow suit.

