I just installed SuSE Linux 8.1 as a dual boot with Windows XP. I am sorry to say that I am completely lost as to what to do with this operating system. Even with documentation, I am unable to figure out what to use to install a program. I know I have to "tar" it, but what program do I use?

What program do you want to install? Are you logged onto the system, yet? Are you using a KDE or Gnome desktop? What software did you choose to have YAST install for you? If it's the "default," you've already got quite a bit to work with.

I'm trying to install a program called "airsnort" for wireless PCMCIA cards. I downloaded it successfully now can't firgure out which program to use to install it.

Use "gunzip" to decompress the file, and then use the tar command.

Don't want to be dense but is it done in "Shell - Konsole"?

Yes.

Open up a console session, and move to wherever you downloaded the fil (with the cd command), and then type in:
tar zxpvf filename.tar.gz where obviosuly the filename is whatever the file is called... oh, by the way, could you point us in the direction of the file in question? Did you get it from the internet? Just so that you're not lost, that unzips and untars the file into a directory of the same name (normally) and preserves the owner permissions on the file. If the file ends in .bz2, then instead of zxpvf you'll want to replace the z with a small j.

HTH

Oh, and Welcome to LQ... no-ones said that yet!

Not to persuade u into not using tar files but suse uses rpm's as well. They are usually easier to install however some people have had problems with them. I have not had any trouble so far. My suse 8.1 is set up (I think it comes default) to ask u if u want to install the rpm when it is downloaded. Very nice for some

Gonus

Good point, Gonus, but I think that people should at least be aware of how to install other types of file. Linux is all about choice, and if people don't learn about the different options available to them, then they effectively have no choice... And apart from that, it is always possible that the files in question are available as source code only, in which case RPM is not an option.

One should know the power of the tar & zip.
Simple example: Most people are more familiar with making tars or tar.gzs more so than rpm's.
rpm does work fine on my boxes, but I've found that more often than not, it's tard & zipd.


L8rz

Hehehhehe. Knew this was gonna happen. I am just letting him know. I agree with all of you. Knowing how to install other than rpm's is great I had to aska few times here cause I didn't know. A lot of places have only tar's so u gotta learn them sometime. I concur with all your post.

Gonus

gonus, I thot you were going to change your siggy?

Thanks to everyone for their help and assistance. This has been a true learning experience. The more I work with this the more I like it. And by the way Thymox, the program in question is from http://airsnort.shmoo.com/

Thanks again