Installing applications made easy
 

Hey folks, perhaps I am not as smart as I thought I was. What a challenge it has been to use Linux. I want to be able to install some packages but man what a headache. I go to install RPM's and it appears that they install but how to deploy them. Tar for Firfox update, but when I deploy firefox still reflects the original version. Kernel update with a .b2z and tar does not work on this file format for kernel update. Hurdle after hurdle, I have to believe that either I am doing a lot of things wrong or there is a much easier way.

There is so much information in the way of Linux that trying to perform some of these basic operations leads you down a path that perhaps i shouldn't be.

Can anyone guide me to some basic outlines for installing application either by the CLI or by the GUI and running them. This seems to be taking a lot longer then expected.


Using RHEL 4

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Hi,

And welcome to LQ!

And what you're facing is the blessings (or the bane) of
trying to mix and match a package-management system like
RPM and a software package that hasn't been bundled for
it yet (in the version you desire). My honest suggestion
would be to either stick with the versions you've been
able to find for your distro, or try to uninstall the
one you had previously installed, and then try to install
the desired version (problem with that approach is that
it may break stuff if you udate/upgrade your OS later on).

There's no one size fits all way to describe a working
solution for all software packages that don't come bundled
for your distro.


Cheers,
Tink