How to Install software?
 

I am new to Linux........I have installed Mandrake 8.1 and have downloaded Acrobat Reader and have tried to download Shockwave but the files are being saved as .gz files......and when I double click the file a window opens up asking me to select a program to open with.......What am I supposed to do here?......Also......How do you change your homepage for Konqueror?....i have went into the settings and typed in MSN.com but it still opens up to the default homepage of Linux...I really like this operating system and would like to learn more about it. Guess I'll have go to the bookstore and see if they have any books on it...Help Please!!!.....Thanks

Tarballs (*.gz or *.tgz) are like *.zip files in windows. To decompress them you have to open a terminal window and use the command "tar -zxvf filename" (where "filename" is the name of your file).

Thank you very much......like I said......i have a lot to learn about Linux

okay....i got the files "unzipped" so to speak....and i found where they are.....now how do i install the software?.......i dont see an install file or the such

Well, unfortunately there isn't one single procedure for installing things. There should be a README or INSTALL file that will give you some sort of directions. Hopefully they're self-explanatory, but in case there isn't a file, or it doesn't make any sense, feel free to post back here with where you got the file and I'll go take a look at it.

I went to Adobe.com.......and downloaded the "free" Acrobat Reader program for Linux........Is that what you mean?

Yeah, that's what I needed. Okay, I downloaded the 4.05 version so maybe this will be a little different depending on what you have. After you un-tar'd the file, you should have a directory called, "ILINXR.install". cd into that directory and there's a script called "INSTALL". Simply run "./INSTALL" and that should take you through the rest of the installation.