Where should i install new software to?

[kirkland500]

Hi all!

This may seem like a really neat-freak question, but i've just reinstalled MDK 9.0 - i screwed it up bigtime the first time around. And because of the state of my /home/username folder, i was wondering, for the tidy people among us, what directories should programs be put into. e.g. in a windaz o/s (yuck!) /program filez is the default path for installed programs.

Also, i've been looking at Ximian Red carpet as an update and install manager - i'm looking for one that can handle the installation of tar.gz compressed programs, as i always seem to have problems installing any programs that are non .rpm.

Thirdly and finally, Once i've installed a program, is there an easy way of setting up the icons for the desktop (or ideally the K/Gnome bar) another program prehaps.

And as a PS, can anyone suggest a really good CD to CD copying program (i.e on the fly copying like Nero Burning ROM).

Thanks in advance

David Kirkland
Mandrake 9.0
No sense no feeling

[Molecule Man]

/usr/local is meant for user compiled software. Most people also put thier games there. Usually /usr/local/bin will be in your path.

/opt is for Programs that were not shipped with your distobution.

Either place is good for stuff you add.

Use menudrake to create menu shortcuts. In GNOME, right click and select create launcher for desktop shortcuts. KDE should be similiar.

Please check out urpmi for package management. Otherwise for tarballs, do the tar, configure, make shuffle.

XCDroast is very nice for cdburning.

[JohnT]

I usuall make a folder in my /home directory and name it "download". I use it as my default download folder. Install from here and the default directories will be found. Easier to clean up afterwards.

Learn how to compile from source as it is optimal for your system unless you download only MDK rpms.

http://www.icon.co.za/~psheer/book/node27.html.gz


For the desktop, right-click and choose "Install new application". First tab....... name of app and icon selector. Second tab......Permissions. Third tab.......path to executable. Fourth tab........name of app and type.

[sharth]

What i did was this. Becauase i did a seperate partition for /home, and the rest (mostly) is root, I created myself /usr/local/sharth, and then symlinked that from my home directory.

Also, I did a /usr/local/ogg for music, and a /usr/local/snes for some roms. :)

I try to keep all of my personal edits in /usr/local, but It's all up to you :)