Hi, I am pretty new to Linux. Right now I am running Mandrake, and everything seems to be working well, except when I install something, I have no idea where it has gone. It seems strange to me that Mandrake has this nice installation utility, and it doesn't even do a simple task like add your programs to the star menu. Nor does it ask what file folders you want to install to. So after installation, your files just disappear. Never to be found again. I have recently installed wine and yahoo messenger for linux, and cannot find either of them. How are you supposed to find stuff in Mandrake? The search utility is worthless. Also, I don't know Unix, so the konsole doesnt do me much good either. Could somebody please help me figure this out?

How did you install the programs?

In linux, when you install something, the files usually goes into different directories. The main executive files(the so-called exe files in Windows) will normally go into directories like /usr/bin, /usr/sbin, etc. If you compile the applications from source, they will instead go into /usr/local/bin, /usr/local/sbin, etc. 3-rd party applications sometimes go into /opt/.

So, try to look for them in these folders.

I think most applications installed through the package management system in a modern distro should add a link in the menu. If the link doesn't show up, it usually means that the app is supposed to run in a console environment. Well, in your case, the yahoo messenger, should have a link in the menu, though. Just find it out and add it back.

Tips: No matter how you hate the console, it can be your best friend in solving problems, so don't be afraid of it. For example, when you try to look for an app, what you will do is to type:
Hope this helps.

You have the whole idea of your filesystem wrong, I'm guessing you've just came from Windows so this is just one of those changes that will confuse you at first. Once you understand it though, it'll make so much sense

In linux, you don't choose where to install stuff. That's incredibly overexaggerated but for the simple purpose of a home desktop there is no need to. The filesystem has places for stuff, it makes sense for the different elements of programs to go there so it automatically does just that. it's not like Windows in that you don't install stuff to /usr/frozen-bubble and everything is contained in that one place. Any graphics will go to /usr/share/frozen-bubble as that is where they should go. A basic config will be installed to /etc/frozen-bubble and the executable file will go to /usr/bin/frozen-bubble.

http://www.pathname.com/fhs/

There is a good explaination, it'll give you more info that I can.

Please don't ask the same question in more than one forum, I've answered your question on the Mandriva forum http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=376260