installing Opera web browser, error when using the ./configure command
 

I am trying to install the latest version of Opera web browser, and am getting the error "No such file or directory", when I try the ./configure command:

linux:~/Downloads # tar -xf opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux.tar.bz2
linux:~/Downloads # ls
opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux.tar.bz2
linux:~/Downloads # cd opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux
linux:~/Downloads/opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux # ls
install lib LICENSE opera share
linux:~/Downloads/opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux # ./configure
bash: ./configure: No such file or directory
linux:~/Downloads/opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux # install
install: missing file operand
Try `install --help' for more information.

I am using SuSE Enterprise Linux version 11 SP1.

Well, have you tried as the error message suggests?

I tried the install --help, with a few options, to no avail. I thought I might be using the wrong command. Sorry, I'm a real neophyte.

Please be more specific:
1. What was the output of install --help?
2. Which of those options in the output have you used and which errors did you get (be exactly here)?
3. Why don't you try the version for your OS? There are packages for openSuse (don't know if that works in the Enterprise version) and for other RPM-based distros on the website, give those a try.

I have included the outputs of the "install" command, with various options below. I will investigate your option #3. Thank you for the advice. I am basically trying to get experience downloading software and running it on my Linux OS. My version is : Linux version 2.6.32.12-0.7-default

linux:~/Downloads/opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux # install -D
install: missing file operand
Try `install --help' for more information.
linux:~/Downloads/opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux # install -b
install: missing file operand
Try `install --help' for more information.
linux:~/Downloads/opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux # install -d
install: missing file operand
Try `install --help' for more information.
linux:~/Downloads/opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux # install -o
install: option requires an argument -- 'o'
Try `install --help' for more information.
linux:~/Downloads/opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux # install -Z
install: option requires an argument -- 'Z'
Try `install --help' for more information.
linux:~/Downloads/opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux # install -v
install: missing file operand
Try `install --help' for more information.

You are making it too complicated. The opera tarball is not sources, contains the Opera binary.

Just run the install script as root.

See this link for more information.

http://www.opera.com/support/kb/view/456/

Thank you, Mr Frank Bell! Your advice solved my problem. It looks like I should have read the support pages on Opera.

If someone could point out a good tutorial for installing software, I would appreciate it. This seems to be a challenging part of learning Linux. Here is another example. I downloaded nmap, but keep getting the following output when I type the ./configure command. It looks like I either don't have the correct C compiler for my computer, or I don't have any C compiler:

linux:/home/mark/nmap-5.00 # ./configure
checking build system type... x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
checking host system type... x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
checking for gcc... no
checking for cc... no
checking for cl.exe... no
configure: error: in `/home/mark/nmap-5.00':
configure: error: no acceptable C compiler found in $PATH
See `config.log' for more details.

Installing the default gcc compiler on Suse :

1) su
2) zypper in gcc-c++

... Or use Yast for package install.


.

Your command recommendation worked, knudfl
 

Your command worked, but it looks like I need a disk to do it

Please insert medium [SUSE-Linux-Enterprise-Server-11-SP1 11.1.1-1.152] #1 and type 'y' to continue or 'n' to cancel the operation. [yes/no] (no): n

If the computer is connected to the Internet : No cd/DVD is required.
"Install/Remove Software" or zypper will download gcc-c++ etc.
.. and install the packages.

No cdrom / DVD : You will have to delete the "media entry" in ..
Menu: System > Configuration > Install/Remove Software :
Configuration > Repositories.

Or delete ( uncomment ? ) the entry in /etc/zypp/repos.d/<repo>

.

Shouldn't you instead follow instructions listed here: http://en.opensuse.org/Opera ?

knudfl: Here is the file that is in /etc/zypp/repos.d

SUSE-Linux-Enterprise-Server-11-SP1 11.1.1-1.152.repo

You are saying that I need to uncomment an entry in this file?

unSpawn, thank you for the reference. I made things confusing about asking about installing nmap, on the same thread I asked about the Opera install. It looks like all I needed for the Opera install was to type opera-12.00-1467.x86_64.linux/opera ...and that did the trick. I will check openSuse from now on for advice.

Glad I could help.

Software installation in Linux is quite different from on Windows (I have no experience with Macs, but I saw one once).

Generally, if your distro has repos (and SuSE does, and the user agent icon in your posts says SuSE), you start the package manager, look for the software package in the list, then tell the package manager to install it (there are also ways to do this from the command line, but I'll let that go for now). The package manager will take care of dependencies. SuSE's package manager and configuration tool is YAST; here's an article on it. http://en.opensuse.org/Portal:YaST

Alternatively, the classic method is to compile the software from sources. Here's a good article on that: http://www.tuxfiles.org/linuxhelp/softinstall.html

Occasionally, as with the Opera you installed, you can download a package from the creators of the software and install the binary with a script. In that case, the tarball usually contains a readme file with installation instructions.

Generally, if there is package manager and official repositories, that should be your first choice for installing software, since the packages will have been reviewed and vetted to be correct and safe for your distribution. Installing from the package manager also makes removal easier, as the package manager can remove not only the software, but any dependencies that the removal makes unnecessary.

(This summarizes about two years of my experience here!)

I just happened to know how Opera works because I'm an Opera fanboy. It's usually the first program I install after setting up a computer.

Thank you for taking the time to summarize your experience! I am familiar with the reference http://www.tuxfiles.org/linuxhelp/softinstall.html, I was actually using that reference to install Opera, and was stumped when ./configure did not work. I did not see a README file once I unbundled the tarball. UnSpawn found a good reference here http://en.opensuse.org/Opera, which talks about different commands for installing, which I have not tried yet.

I will check out http://en.opensuse.org/Portal:YaST. I have been doing most things from the command line up to this point.

Well I am glad you got me to an end point on this, based on your experience with Opera. Linux can be challenging, so succeeding at installing software feels pretty good. I am going to try to move onto things like updating the kernel, and I would also like to install SuSE Linux on a bootable pendrive. I will do my research first. Thanks again!

You are welcome.

Remember that Linux isn't difficult, just different, and you'll feel at home in no time.