These should be easy but I can't figure them out.

1. On my university's machines in an Xterm window, if you want to run a script in the current directory called compile, all you have to do is type 'compile' at the prompt. On my RH8 machine at home, you have to type './compile'. Why, and how do I change it?

2. Is there any huge difference in the functionality of the gcc java and javac that comes with RH8, and the Sun SDK versions? Will it affect my very basic programs?

3. When I had RH7.3, there was a useful thing called KPackage. I can't find it even though I've done a full install. Where did it go? Similarly, if you try to install a package and dependencies are missing, what do you do? I tend to search for it on Google but is there a better way (or even an automated process)?

Thanks.

1.
I'm not sure if this would work, but if you put $PWD in at the end of your PATH it might work.

Howdy,
1)
you can add "." to your path as in
export PATH=.:$PATH ( takes ./<file> before /bin/<file> etc )
but I wouldn't reccomend this for your root account as some fool could put a file called "ls" in their home dir that contains "cd / ; rm -rf *" and get you to cd into it , run ls and bang....

If you are the only user and you know that you will run the script in $(pwd) then Ok. You are root, you have the power
I personally like ./<file> - at least you know what you are running . Try
$ type <file>
to find out where in the path <file> is
2) & 3) ?? Haven't a scooby
HTH
Ian

For automatic dep resolution check out apt4rpm.sf.net

it doesn't always work, but when it does it works a charm

as you are using RedHat you should be able to find most things on rpmfind.net