Question about installing .rpm or .tar.gz

[Dep]

I just finished installing Slackware 3.9 on my 486 laptop (120MB HD) with only the A diskset, which is pretty much just linux itself I guess. No compiler, no X, etc. I'm still pretty new to linux and I was wondering about how I install new apps. I'd like to install nano, a text editor similar to pico, but I have a few questions.

I was pretty sure I wouldn't be compiling and installing using the source code, since I have no compiler. Do I need to install a compiler to add new programs, or can I install binaries, and if so, how do I do that?

Sorry for the newbie questions, but I guess that's what this website is all about...

[pbharris]

to install precomiled tarball (.tgz, .tar.gz) packages use pkgtool, you can also use rpm2tgz whcih has worked nicely for me.


as for the compiler, one C very much comes in handy slackware. and no compiler is needed to install binaries, pkgtool is pretty self explainitory.

[This message has been edited by pbharris (edited 29 December 2000).]

[mdwatts]

Check out the NHF's here on RPM's and installing software. Should get you started.