Though I don't know about astr or other packages, for octave, you can always find the "latest" (whether, for you that means "stable", "testing" or "development" versions) at the octave home-page: http://www.octave.org/download.html That page recommends the "testing" version as their "stable" version is "currently ancient and bosolete". Stable: ftp://ftp.octave.org/pub/octave/obsolete/octave-2.0.17.tar.gz Testing: ftp://ftp.octave.org/pub/octave/octave-2.1.57.tar.gz Dev: ftp://ftp.octave.org/pub/octave/bleeding-edge/octave-2.1.57.tar.gz The above download page also details where to get pre-built binaries, contributed packages, and getting source from CVS as well if that's your thing. Hope this helps, -tim _______________________________________________ Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list