Knoppix HD Install, How Do I Get Msn Messenger?
 

How can i get msn messenger onto my knoppix installation? i am a newbie and installed knoppix because i could not get mandrake to work correctly, now i would like to get msn messenger, is this possible and how do you do it?

Try gaim
gaim.sourceforge.net

aMSN, a pretty good clone. Get the Debian package and install (as root) with Gaim also works (but no file transfer yet, right?). Kopete is a nice version for KDE (as well as KMerlin and KMess). IK prefer aMSN because it installs easily and its always right behind the ball when msn changeits protocols.


edited for spelling - gotta use that spellcheck!

what one do i download?
im new to this and there are loads such as alpha, arm, i386?

That depends on your processor i would assume your using a pentium or amd CPU or some other x86 based chip in which case you get the i386 one

i downloaded one, a bin file which is an executable, but when i double click it nothing happens? im so new to linux you can all probably tell this a mile off?!

What kind of file did you download? .deb? .gz? .¿?
If gz, you have to uncompress it. There is a KDE tool that can do that... Ark. then there ought to be file named something like readme. Read it, and follow the instructions. Good luck!

If is indeed an exechutable, try using the console.

I'm a newbie too, so my help is limited.

Try running it from a terminal if it still doesnt work it might not be executable
$chmod +x filename.bin will make it executable.

don't use a painfull install if you are a newbie
apt-get install gaim or apt-get install amsn, that's it that's all...

what is apt-get? what do you do to use it, i managed to get messenger installed and am using aMSN, i run it but entering command amsn, how can i create an icon for this?

I can answer that for you, likely, if you give me some info to work with:

Are you using KDE (the default window environment for Knoppix)?
How did you install the program? Did you use the debian package? Or, did you use the .tar.gz? .bin file?

BTW, apt-get is the fast way to install packages on your system. You open a terminal and type apt-get pagkagename.deb and it installs, resolving all dependancies. Its a front end for dpkg. If you want a fast way to install your programs, then I suggest that you read the man pages on apt-get so you don't have to open up kpackage or synaptic and wait 30 seconds or a minute every time you wanna install something.

right, i will have a play with this later then, what should i install, i installed debian from the knoppix live cd, so is it worth me performing a dist-upgrade or anything like that? i am completely new to linux so dont know ANY programs either that may be of use to me, i am only a casual user so more entertainment orientated please, ie. music players, messengers, etc......

using kde

Go to The Debian Home Page and check out the package selection (use the unstable and testing tree for reference). You'll find lots of things that look fun.

Your shortcut wil be easy. If you installed from the .bin file, your installation is in the /opt directory, likely. If you installed with the .deb, it likely in /usr/local. If you installed from .tar.gz, you know where you unpacked it to. Wherever that may be, that is the path you'll need. To make the icon, you kust right-click on your desktop somewhere (sound familiar?). Choose "create new > file > link to application". On the general tab you'll see a box with the words 'link to application' in it (highlighted, likely). That is where you put your label. To the left of it, you'll find and square with a 'gear' on it. That is the icon selection box. Click on it. It'll open up a box with all the system icons in it. What you're looking for is not in this group, lilely. Choose "other icons" and click on the "browse" button. Navigate to your amsn folder. Inside there is another folder entitled "icons". In side that are icons of several sizes. I chose the 48x48 "msn" for mine. Then, you click on the "Application" tab and select "browse" by the "command" box. Navigate to your amsn folder and select the "amsn" entry. Click ok. You should have an icon on your desktop which will execute your application in the manner you have always been used to (you can do the same thing on your taskbar, but its slightly different).

If you have a few sticking points with how your window manager works, read the help that comes with it. Most installations come with KDE help installed (its on the disk if not). Take an hour and bring yourself up to date. There are more functions that are easier to do with KDE and Gnome than that "other" interface you used before you installed GNU/Linux (like the copy/paste function - highlight and then middle-click wherever you wanna paste - no right-click, copy, right-click, paste <not specific to KDE>). Have fun! More questions? Ask! I know very little compared to others here. ;)

Of course, but do it weekly a the most frequent, as Knoppix takes from the Debian Unstable repository - the first branch after the development branch - so its always got 100s of megs of updates. Don't be surprised if things like your bootsplash change on you if you update KDE packages. That was done at the Knoppix site and you'll be getting the freshest KDE stuff(for example) We all were new at it sometime or another. Welcome to the free world :D <places red carpet down for newcomer> You've just entered the candy store as a kid! Woohoo! There isn't much you can't do with this stuff (there's even high-end multimedia stuff: cinelerra for movie editing - the hollywood way; the MythTV project, if you wanna build yer own TiVO-like computer, games, apps - and Debian has the most)