Very new, need help.

[Timothy Lyons]

Hi, I'm very new to Linux. As of now, my father uses a Linux server running RedHat 7.1. That's where I learn my Linux. I will be switching my personal computer to Linux once I understand it a little better.

First off, how do I enable access to services such as Apache Web Server and PostgreSQL? I commonly log in as root to do this, but from there, can I give myself access to edit those files and start and stop the service?

Second, how do I install? My father tells me to use RPM's but I cannot always find them. How do I install from a .tar.gz as that's just about all I can find.

I'll have you know, I like the feel of Windows, but I hate its restrictions. I'm working on making my desktop as close as I can to Windows 98. If anyone has any ideas, please help...by the way I'm using KDE if that helps.

If you can help, respond or IM me. My screenname is NeoMMV.

[X_console]

What distribution are you using?
To install .tar.gz: http://it.yorku.ca/moonfrog/tutorials/compiling_software.html

[Timothy Lyons]

I'm using RedHat 7.1

[Ludootje]

for your desktop look: http://kde-look.org & http://kde.classic.themes.org should help you out
as for .tar.gz: i suppose xconsole's howto explains it
and when you give you screenname for instant messaging, it *might* be useful to tell for which instant messaging service that is. unless, of course, you only want people who can read other people's minds in your contact list... :rolleyes:

[palm1]

I was also a Windows user and I found Gnome to be much more pleasing to the eye, and more like windows than KDE. I especially liked it once I installed Ximian Gnome - www.ximian.com (http://www.ximian.com) it gives you some great applications and removes a lot of the dependancies guess work that I HATED. You can install it right over the top of the standard RH 7.1 Gnome that comes with your system. I also have RH 7.1, it's great. :D

[bahamut988]

Ditto of what palm1 said, the normal comand I use to untar something is

tar -xvvzf filename.tar.gz, you need the options (-xvvzf) or it won't work

[Ludootje]

Originally posted by palm1:
<STRONG>I was also a Windows user and I found Gnome to be much more pleasing to the eye, and more like windows than KDE.</STRONG>
You can get every DE/wm to look like whatever you want, or to not look like whatever you want, so this post is simply dumb.
Tons of people say they don't use kde because "it looks like windows". Though, this (http://www.kde.org/screenshots/medium/ganroth.jpg) doesn't look like windows at all.
You can also have it look exactly like windows.

[Choozo]

Originally posted by bahamut988:
<STRONG>tar -xvvzf filename.tar.gz, you need the options (-xvvzf) or it won't work</STRONG>

On *.tar.gz files; tar zxf filename.tar.gz
On *.tar files; tar xf filename.tar

Add the v (verbose) or vv (very verbose) only if you love having all the 'untarring' info scrambling your console :D

Cheers :)