Never installed software before

[eiresh]

Hello there. I just want to say thank you, I have gone through the message boards and have been able to pick up some new tid-bits for linux. These boards are helpful. I am very new to linux, I consider myself well rounded in windows.
On to the Problem, How do you install software... any software. I have been struggling with this for about a month. I am running Mandrake 7.1. I have Cds from Maximum linux that have tgz files, but I would like to also learn how to install RPMs.
Do you need any other information? *that I can find*
Thank you for your help!

[Waffle_King]

for .tgz's, or .tar.gz's, you need to unzip, then untar them. The best method for this is "tar -xzvf file.tar.gz"
This will create a new folder, probably named "file"
cd into this folder, and type "./configure" This is the configure script present in most programs. If it, or something very close to it isn't there, don't sweat it.
Then, type "make", which will compile the prog.
To actually install it, you need to type, as root, "make install"

done, hopefully http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/wink.gif

rpm's are even easier, just type "rpm -i file.rpm"

also, do a forum search, this has been asked many times before http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif and check the manpages, thats what they're there for.

ps - I hope this is correct, I haven't installed anything not from apt in a really long time.

[mdwatts]

There's a NHF on compiling and installing software here. Easy to find.

And here's a reference for TAR and RPM that may help. Also have a look at man tar and man rpm.

http://support.calderasystems.com/caldera/solution?11=000427-0042&130=0956869352&14=10&2715=&15=0&2716=&57=faq&58=&2900=mUUC613vdH&25=6

[eiresh]

Thank you for your help. I am going to give this a try.

[:david:]

the standard is
./configure
make
make install

but if you're on redhat or mandrake
rpm -ivh package.rpm (for a new package)
rpm --rebuild package.src.rpm (for a source rpm)
rpm -Uvh package.rpm (for upgrading existing packages)

aduva manager ( http://www.aduva.com ) helps you manage software, hardware and kernel issues on redhat 6-6.2
but first you should learn the basics, then go for extra tools

[ironhd]

From what little time i've been noodling around with installing stuff, i think i've discovered that you can download an app that you gotta compile yourself, or download binaries that you just gotta unpack into the correct locations and it's ready to go. I haven't found yet, anything that explains who, what and why. I look in the packages for a Makefile. If it's there, i look thru the makefile to see if it needs tweaked, then ./configure (if that's there, too) then make and make install, usually. If the coder is user friendly, he will likely leave you with good instructions in a 'install' or 'readme' text. If there's no configure or makefile scripts, then i assume that's called a binary, so just unpack and revel in the beauty of your new foo.widget. This is for *.tar.gz, btw. Not familiar with rpm's. I used rpm2tgz once, but had better luck after finding a real tar.gz.

!Make sure you download from a reputable source! I read on here that even the pro's can get bitten by a bug! (i.e. don't download joe blow's 'smooth new roulette game')

Installing/compiling is a shady area for us newbies.
Any further info would be great!
Thanks youse guys for this website!

[warsteiner]

i too use Mandrake, and actually the easiest way is to right click the tar, and then select 'extract to'. then bust out a terminal and cd to the 'extracted' dirrectory. then i would say leave the terminal (befor you do any 'make' or what-not), go to the extracted directory using your file manager or whatever other way you go about looking though your files, and READ the install documents. from there the docs should inform you of what files may need to be modified befor you go any further at the terminal, and what to type at the terminal.

[This message has been edited by warsteiner (edited 27 December 2000).]

[warsteiner]

and ooooh yaaaa. rpms are easy as hell to install in mandrake. just klick the rpm once, and away you go. it pops you into the mandrake rpm manager, and all ya have to click is install.

simplest to easiest, and especially for someone whos new, like myself also. just to getting used to the dirrectory structure of linux takes some time let alone all the commands. thats one thing that turned me back to windows the first time i linuxed around, all the assumptions, and 'cypher verbose' responses to the new linux humans.

[This message has been edited by warsteiner (edited 27 December 2000).]

[This message has been edited by warsteiner (edited 27 December 2000).]

[This message has been edited by warsteiner (edited 27 December 2000).]

[Whipping Boy]

If you're untarring a file from the command line (and anything important should ALWAYS be done from the command line), then you can use tar -xzvf like he said. However, the v means verbose, and what it does is give you a list of all the files being untarred--which slows down the process and scrolls by too fast to read anyway. Just eliminate the v and it'll go a bit faster.

------------------
Kurt Weber
Shell scripts? Shell scripts? We don't NEED no stinkin' shell scripts!
White, heterosexual, middle-class, and proud!
I've never understood why Bill Gates would name his company after his penis