Newbie here, willing to work hard to learn...

truecipher · 06-30-2012, 07:18 PM

I'm done with windows, but I need linux to be able to do a few things for me before I give it up completely.

Currently testing/learning Debian Gnome 6.0.3 i386 installed on one old laptop from the network .iso, and Linux Mint Cinnamon 13 32bit on another laptop from a live CD when I don't boot that one to XP SP3. I have previously loaded and explored Puppy linux 5.2.5, Knopix 6.2 and Nimble X. Also learning the Mint Cinnamon 64 bit from live CD on my 64 bit desktop...

I have a bit under my belt, can use the terminal, access root when I need to and install software from software centers using package mangers. I use several browsers, notably Firefox, but haven't used an NNTP or Mail client yet in linux...

The things I cannot do, much less fathom, are:

1. Install software downloaded from the web. can find the DLed item, but cannot seem to make them work. A flash update drove me nuts...

2. I need a PDF editor that will do pagination and metadata edting like Acrobat 9 does in windows.

I write a little code for windows for my own amusement, would like to do that for Linux, but mastering the OS must come first.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. A search of the forum re: PDF didn't turn up what I need to know. Will continue reading older posts, and if anyone has ideas for me, they are greatly appreciated.

TobiSGD · 06-30-2012, 07:27 PM

Hi and welcome to LQ and Linux.

1. You normally don't do that. Updates and installs are handled by your package manager. There are ways to install software from source, but this is not something I would recommend to a newbie.
2. Sorry, don't know.

About programming: Which programming language are you using?

cascade9 · 06-30-2012, 07:39 PM

To get flash from the debian repos (the easiest way) you need to add 'non-free' to your etc/apt/sources.list. Then all you have to do is run-

apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree

Pdftk should do at least some of what you want.

truecipher · 06-30-2012, 08:09 PM

TobiSGD: Thanks. C/java/justbasic/VBasic and compiling HTML

cascade9: add 'non-free' as in deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ non-free ?
Using gedit. Years ago played with vi, any recommedations on a good newbie editor?
Have Pdftk, don't see pagination, but I will look harder at it...

TY to both of you, appreciate the tips...

TobiSGD · 06-30-2012, 08:31 PM

Java will be the same on Linux and if you programmed in VisualBasic.Net you can use Mono for that.
Good editor? I prefer Vim, for programming also Geany is fine, but anybody will say something different here.

truecipher · 06-30-2012, 08:34 PM

TobiSGD: Thank you again!

towheedm · 06-30-2012, 08:35 PM

The non-free repository is listed by default in your /etc/apt/sources.list file:

Code:

deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main non-free contrib

To install flash from the terminal:

Code:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree

You can also use the Synaptic GUI package manager. From the Main Menu: Preferences > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager. Enter 'flashplugin' in the search box, select the package and click on Apply.

Gedit is a good GUI text editor for a newbie. Emacs is also good and has both a CLI and GUI version. For strict CLI, there's vi/vim and an extremely simple to use nano. This is not as powerful as vi and/or vim though.

truecipher · 06-30-2012, 08:39 PM

towheedm: Not listed by default in mine, but will add. TY for the info...

Code:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree

from the terminal give me syntax errors

towheedm · 06-30-2012, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truecipher

towheedm: Not listed by default in mine, but will add. TY for the info...

Code:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree

from the terminal give me syntax errors

Are those errors from apt-get update or apt-get install? What are the exact errors?

Post your /etc/apt/sources.list file.

truecipher · 06-30-2012, 09:15 PM

From terminal and root terminal:

Code:

cipher@debian:~$ sudo apt-get update
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 19 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 28 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 29 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 31 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 32 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 33 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 34 <<<
sudo: parse error in /etc/sudoers near line 19
sudo: no valid sudoers sources found, quitting
cipher@debian:~$ sudo apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 19 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 28 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 29 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 31 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 32 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 33 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 34 <<<
sudo: parse error in /etc/sudoers near line 19
sudo: no valid sudoers sources found, quitting
cipher@debian:~$ ^C
cipher@debian:~$

Code:

#

# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 6.0.3 _Squeeze_ - Official i386 NETINST Binary-1 20111008-19:55]/ squeeze main

# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 6.0.3 _Squeeze_ - Official i386 NETINST Binary-1 20111008-19:55]/ squeeze main

deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main contrib non-free

deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free

# squeeze-updates, previously known as 'volatile'
deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze-updates main
deb-src http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze-updates main

towheedm · 06-30-2012, 10:44 PM

The errors are from sudo and not apt-get. I'm not familiar with the sudo errors, but I'm guessing you don't have sudo installed/configured. You can also run the command with the su command, enter root's password when prompted.

Code:

su -c "apt-get update && apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree"

You can get help from most commands with:

Code:

command --help

Or for more detailed help, check the manpages for the command:

Code:

man command

For help on using the manpages:

Code:

man man

TobiSGD · 06-30-2012, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truecipher

From terminal and root terminal:

Code:

cipher@debian:~$ sudo apt-get update
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 19 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 28 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 29 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 31 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 32 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 33 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 34 <<<
sudo: parse error in /etc/sudoers near line 19
sudo: no valid sudoers sources found, quitting
cipher@debian:~$ sudo apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 19 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 28 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 29 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 31 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 32 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 33 <<<
>>> /etc/sudoers: syntax error near line 34 <<<
sudo: parse error in /etc/sudoers near line 19
sudo: no valid sudoers sources found, quitting
cipher@debian:~$ ^C
cipher@debian:~$

Code:

#

# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 6.0.3 _Squeeze_ - Official i386 NETINST Binary-1 20111008-19:55]/ squeeze main

# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 6.0.3 _Squeeze_ - Official i386 NETINST Binary-1 20111008-19:55]/ squeeze main

deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main contrib non-free

deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free

# squeeze-updates, previously known as 'volatile'
deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze-updates main
deb-src http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze-updates main

You have tried to configure sudo and haven't done it in the correct way using visudo. visudo checks after editing the sudoers file for configuration errors. Of course you can use su on Debian systems (if you have not disabled the root account during installation), but you should really fix that.

ribymi · 07-03-2012, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truecipher

I'm done with windows, but I need linux to be able to do a few things for me before I give it up completely.

Currently testing/learning Debian Gnome 6.0.3 i386 installed on one old laptop from the network .iso, and Linux Mint Cinnamon 13 32bit on another laptop from a live CD when I don't boot that one to XP SP3. I have previously loaded and explored Puppy linux 5.2.5, Knopix 6.2 and Nimble X. Also learning the Mint Cinnamon 64 bit from live CD on my 64 bit desktop...

I have a bit under my belt, can use the terminal, access root when I need to and install software from software centers using package mangers. I use several browsers, notably Firefox, but haven't used an NNTP or Mail client yet in linux...

The things I cannot do, much less fathom, are:

1. Install software downloaded from the web. can find the DLed item, but cannot seem to make them work. A flash update drove me nuts...

2. I need a PDF editor that will do pagination and metadata edting like Acrobat 9 does in windows.

I write a little code for windows for my own amusement, would like to do that for Linux, but mastering the OS must come first.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. A search of the forum re: PDF didn't turn up what I need to know. Will continue reading older posts, and if anyone has ideas for me, they are greatly appreciated.

I was the same as you when I first started with Slackware Linux (Which actually wasn't too long ago). It took me a week to figure out what I was doing wrong with installing the flash player and downloading files was out of the question. After some time though, these things will become almost second nature to you. I wish you good luck in all your Linux endeavors and if you need any information on anything about Slackware or have any problem there are plenty of people here that are more than willing to help you with your problem.