Help with yum

[akinslove]

Dear all,
I am new to linux and debian and recently, I downloaded the yum utility using the apt-get install command but anytime I try using the yum command to install a package, I get errors like below:
yum install httpd
Warning, could not load sqlite, falling back to pickle
Setting up Update Process
Setting up repositories
No Repositories Available to Set Up
Reading repository metadata in from local files
Could not find update match for httpd
No Packages marked for Update/Obsoletion

Can anyone please tell me the reasons for this problem.

[L4Linux]

Debian has the following ways of installing software: apt-get, aptitude and Synaptic (graphical) or double clicking a .deb file(I think it's called "gebi"). Using yum or rpm instead may cause damage to your system as they will "buypass" Debian's package manager.
Apt-get works similarly to yum, so there isn't much, if anything, that yum will offer you over apt.

[MikeTbob]

Hiya!
I think part of the problem here is that YUM isn't a Debian tool, it's a Fedora/Redhat tool for RPM based systems. I'm not saying it won't work with Debian but I am saying that you probably will have to *make* it work with Debian....such as installing RPM, which is required to use YUM and adding your own repositories and whatnot.
It would make life a lot easier for you if you could/would use apt-get or synaptic to install software in Debian.

[akinslove]

Please all, Is there a command for apt-get to search if a software package exists before downloading it and thanks for all your replies, I think I am getting to understand things a little now.

[L4Linux]

A simple table of apt commands is in Distrowatch.
For a more complete guide to apt, check this link.

Basically you need to run the following 3 commands:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install <pkg>

The first 2 will update ALL your programs. The 3rd will install the program you want. If you decide you don't want to install it, just press "N" when it asks for confirmation.
Synaptic, which is a grahical front end for apt has search capabilities. You can find it in System->Administration->Synaptic or

sudo synaptic

[jledhead]

to search

apt-cache search <packagename>
ex..
apt-cache search apache

to show the details of a specific named package

apt-cache show apache2