Robert.Wultsch@asu.edu wrote:
 > What is the generic equivilant to the dpkg command?

Havent used SuSe in a long time but you might try:

rpmbuild --rebuild gaim-0.72-1.src.rpm

to build it and then to upgrade (Freshen) it

rpm -Fhv gaim-0.72-1.whatever.rpm

Austin

PS - rpm is the rough equivalent of dpkg.  Here is a whirlwind tour

 > rpm -qa               Will print out ALL installed RPMs.  It is best
                         to "pipe" it through less
 > rpm -qa | grep gaim   Searchin all installed packages for one that contains
                         "gaim" in the name
 > rpm -qi packagename   Prints information about package packagename
 > rpm -ql packagename   prints all of the files that package packagename
                         installs
# rpm -ihv packagefile  Installs a package
# rpm -Uhv packagefile  Upgrades or Installs a package - Upgrade
# rpm -Fhv packagefile  Upgrades an already installed package - Freshen

packagefile is the actual filename of the package, this differs from the 
packagename because the packagename omits the version number and the rpm and 
stuff.  For example packagenames look at the output of "rpm -qa"