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The purpose of this page is to answer some (good) questions and misunderstandings that come up frequently in the community. These questions are:
# Where can I find new [[software|applications]] for my Maemo device?
# What is this "[[Extras]]" I keep hearing about? How about ''repository'' and ''package''?
# How does maemo.org facilitate application development, testing, and distribution?
# Why shouldn't I download .debs or install applications from [[Extras-devel]]?
# How can I learn more about these resources?

==The Basics==

A repository, or "repo" is a library or storehouse of software made available online. All software for Maemo is distributed this way, most of it through the Extras repository hierarchy. Everything stored in the repository is contained in packages.

===Benefits===

Using a repository system for software has some great benefits:
* '''Resolving dependencies''' When a package is requested to be installed, an [[application manager]] can automatically install any other packages the application requires in order to work. These other packages are called dependencies.
* '''Update awareness''' Whenever a new version of the application becomes available, it will automatically be detected by the application manager. 
* '''Uniformity''' All users can be sure they have the exact same copy of the software. This makes testing and sharing information about the applications easier, which is good for both the developer and the user.
* '''Security''' Because all software comes from repositories, knowing the requirements for software to get into the repository means knowing the security risks involved when installing software. Compare this with downloading applications from arbitrary websites operated by independent parties. Each and every one of those operators has to be trusted not to provide malicious software.

===Repositories and You===

Because of the simplicity, safety and convenience of repositories, ''the only '''supported''' way to install applications in Maemo 5 is using an application manager set up to use the repositories''. However, no knowledge of this or understanding of repositories is necessary for end users, who can simply browse to [http://maemo.org/downloads the downloads page] on their maemo device. The page lists all the applications in the main Maemo repository  (Extras) and the user can simply click. The application manager will then automatically handle everything necessary to install the application.

===Beyond the Basics===

Maemo has a hierarchy of repositories that help the community move forward. New applications are first packaged and uploaded to the Extras-devel repository. They are worked on by developers until they are considered safe for users. At that point, they are "promoted" to [[Extras-testing]]. Power users who understand that these packages might still be risky to use and are able to recover from any problems then install and test the packages. When enough testers have given a vote of approval, the packages are again promoted, this time to Extras. They are available to the whole community.

Because of this hierarchy, there may be multiple versions of a package in the repositories: a stable version in Extras, a beta version in Extras-testing, and a development version in Extras-devel.

==More technical details for the curious==

===Debian Package System===

[[Debian]] has a [http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/repository-howto/repository-howto.en.html manual] on how to use repositories, which is relevant because maemo applications are distributed using the Debian package system. In the Debian package system, each package is a compressed archive (similar to the well-known "zip" file) with a .deb extension, and has information about its contents and dependencies built into it. When these packages are installed, the [[package manager]] maintains records of all of this information, making it easy to uninstall again.

===Compatibility===

Note that while Maemo uses the Debian package system, the actual contents of the packages are not the same. A .deb package from the Debian project or Ubuntu won't work with Maemo, unless it uses the <code>armel</code> [[processor architecture]].

===Individual .debs===

When a developer is building a new package, she or he might use one of the Debian utility programs to install the individual package. It is hoped that the preceding discussion was sufficient to convey that this is not an end-user appropriate usage of the Debian package system.

== List of Maemo repositories ==

*[[Extras]]
*[[Extras-testing]]
*[[Extras-devel]]
*[[Documentation/devtools/maemo5|Devtools]]

[[Category:Power users]]
[[Category:Software]]

Please note that all contributions to maemo.org wiki may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see maemo.org wiki:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!

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Retrieved from "http://wiki.maemo.org/Repository"

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 ===Debian Package System===
-[[Debian]] has a [http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/repository-howto/repository-howto.en.html manual] on how to use repositories, which is relevant because maemo applications are distributed using the Debian package system. In the Debian package system, each package is a compressed archive (similar to the well-known "zip" file) with a .deb extension, and has information about its contents and dependencies built into it. When these packages are installed, the [[application manager]] maintains records of all of this information, making it easy to uninstall again.
+[[Debian]] has a [http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/repository-howto/repository-howto.en.html manual] on how to use repositories, which is relevant because maemo applications are distributed using the Debian package system. In the Debian package system, each package is a compressed archive (similar to the well-known "zip" file) with a .deb extension, and has information about its contents and dependencies built into it. When these packages are installed, the [[package manager]] maintains records of all of this information, making it easy to uninstall again.
 ===Compatibility===
@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 *[[Extras-devel]]
 *[[Documentation/devtools/maemo5|Devtools]]
-More info:
-* http://repository.maemo.org/
-* [[Apt-mirror|Apt-mirror (includes comprehensive list of repos)]]
-===diablo repos (copy&paste sources.list)===
-<pre>
-# nokia is no more, anyone knows a mirror?
-#deb http://catalogue.tableteer.nokia.com/certified/ diablo user
-#deb http://catalogue.tableteer.nokia.com/non-certified/ diablo user
-#deb http://catalogue.tableteer.nokia.com/updates/diablo-2/ ./
-# beware, extras is user contributed software:
-deb http://repository.maemo.org/extras/ diablo free non-free
-# extras-devel is even more risky:
-#deb http://repository.maemo.org/extras-devel/ diablo free non-free
-</pre>
-===fremantle repos (copy&paste sources.list)===
-Uncomment desired lines
-<pre>
-# nokia is no more, muarf.org is private mirror Seems DOWN RIGHT NOW
-#deb http://maemo.muarf.org/apt-mirror/mirror/downloads.maemo.nokia.com/fremantle/ssu/apps/ ./
-#deb http://maemo.muarf.org/apt-mirror/mirror/downloads.maemo.nokia.com/fremantle/ssu/mr0/ ./
-# This is another mirror for the same thing as those above. Seems OK RIGHT NOW
-#deb http://maemo.linenoise.info/downloads.maemo.nokia.com/fremantle/ssu/apps/ ./
-#deb http://maemo.linenoise.info/downloads.maemo.nokia.com/fremantle/ssu/mr0 ./
-# This mirror also includes OVI
-#deb http://maemo.linenoise.info/downloads.maemo.nokia.com/fremantle1.2/ovi/ ./
-# beware, extras is user contributed software:
-deb http://repository.maemo.org/extras/ fremantle free non-free
-# risky, enable only when needed:
-#deb http://repository.maemo.org/extras-testing/ fremantle free non-free
-#deb http://repository.maemo.org/extras-devel/ fremantle free non-free
-''
-## DO NOT INSTALL THIS REPO, IT'S AUTOINSTALLED BY CSSU-INSTALLER AND NOT MEANT TO GET INSTALLED MANUALLY!
-# are you a tester?
-#deb http://repository.maemo.org/community-testing/ fremantle free non-free
-''</pre>
-===Mirrors of standard Nokia repos (using Application manager)===
-Nokia is no more, maemo.muarf.org is a private mirror.
-<pre>
-Catalogue name: Nokia Applications (mirror)
-Web address: http://maemo.muarf.org/apt-mirror/mirror/downloads.maemo.nokia.com/fremantle/ssu/apps/
-Distribution: ./
-</pre>
-<pre>
-Catalogue name: Nokia System Software Updates (mirror)
-Web address: http://maemo.muarf.org/apt-mirror/mirror/downloads.maemo.nokia.com/fremantle/ssu/mr0/
-Distribution: ./
-</pre>
-In Maemo browser (microb), to install on device, click here:
- http://maemo.cloud-7.de/maemo5/et_al/HAM-catalogs/muarf_all.install
- [[User:joerg_rw|joerg_rw]]
-----
-These two are an alternative mirror, the same as the two above.
-<pre>
-Catalogue name: Nokia Applications (mirror)
-Web address: http://maemo.linenoise.info/downloads.maemo.nokia.com/fremantle/ssu/apps/
-Distribution: ./
-</pre>
-<pre>
-Catalogue name: Nokia System Software Updates (mirror)
-Web address: http://maemo.linenoise.info/downloads.maemo.nokia.com/fremantle/ssu/mr0/
-Distribution: ./
-</pre>
-In Maemo browser (microb), to install on device, click on any of these links:
- http://maemo.cloud-7.de/maemo5/et_al/HAM-catalogs/linenoise_all.install
- [[User:joerg_rw|jOERG]]
- http://maemo.linenoise.info/nokia_mirror.install
-----
-And this is for OVI:
-<pre>
-Catalogue name: Nokia OVI (mirror)
-Web address: http://maemo.linenoise.info/downloads.maemo.nokia.com/fremantle1.2/ovi/
-Distribution: ./
-</pre>
 [[Category:Power users]]
 [[Category:Software]]

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