How To Install Software Globally

[beforewisdom]

Hi;

I'm just starting out with linux. I am running Suse 7.2 personal
edition.

How can I install new software such that it is accessible by all users
from any directory?

For instance anyone can type "perl foo" from any directory and run
perl.

I would also like to do some development on my linux box. I would
like to set up a "classpath" variable
such that linux will first check for classes, compiled files in
whatever directory the user is currently
in and then go to a central directory that would server as a "code
dump".

Is there a config file somewhere where I can create and set such a
variable once and have it be global to everyone, everywhere?

How?

Feel free to ROTFM me, but please recommend a good book. All of the
comprehensive linux books I have seen tend to be several versions
behind of what is out there. Does basic, non desktop linux change
that fast? I've noticed some directory/file structure differences
between the distros

Thanks in advance

Steve

[Malakin]

As long a program is in the path and there aren't any permissions problems then any user can run it. User programs are often put in /usr/local/bin, this isn't always in the path though, to add it to everyones path just edit /etc/profile and there will be a path line in there. Settings take effect when you log out and back in, to make sure it's working just type "echo $PATH" and it will tell you what your path is.

I'm not familiar with suse so if there isn't a path line in your /etc/profile then add this at the bottom:
PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin
export PATH