Is it possible to install stuff in Linspire using some other method instead of CNR?

Here's the whole problem:
I want to install some open source software on Linspire 4.5 installation.
I could the free 15 day trial and dl but this would have to be done using that specific computer's 33.6k dial-up. You know how long THAT would take...

So I need to know if I can dl that stuff over the net and get it working somehow. We're stuff like The GIMP, Mozilla Firefox/Thunderbird and maybe KDevelop.

Thanx in advance for any answers I might receive.

PS: I hope this hasn't been discussed before. I searched but didn't find anything relevant. If it has please point me to the thread.

Thanks.

im not sure, but i know linspire is debian based, login as root and in a console type dpkg -l
this may list all your packages installed. if this works, try the command apt-get and see if something happens.

if it does, post back and weel try some more

i am still kinda new to linux....i have been windows clean on my various home sys for a while
i use red hat fedora core 2 and linspire4.5 and i was wondering asbout this alien program claiming to be able
do rpms in the debian based linspire.i really despise the cnr crap because i shouldn't have to pay for open source
and i didnt pay for the os (the deviant contest) (for a free copy while the contest is still going order the 49.99 version and type deviant9 as the coupon for a free download of linspire)Well anyway i noticed i havent the things necessary to compile and install from source. how can i install my apps without paying for the cnr service? RPMs and Source.
thank you for youre help.

Linspire is for people who are ready to pay for software and/or services that they like and find useful.
For those who want everything free there are several other distros like Mandrake, Debian, Gentoo etc.

Linspire is also for people who dont mind paying for free software, I got my copy Free via the promotiional name change from Lindows to Linspire, Gaim is free as you all know, but they want you to pay in order to download free software....

you don't pay for free software. you pay for the service that CNR is. CNR includes not only the ~2000 free apps. it also gives you great discuonts on commercial software and gives you access to download every new Linspire release during your CNR subscription time.

<P>

That indirect reply avoided a direct answer to the original question, i.e., is it possible to install readily available open source software and, if so, how? I know I'd sure like to know how to safely go about installing open source software such as Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird that Linspire has not yet deigned to include in their CNR offerings.

I've been warned not to use apt-get. Is dpkg a better choice? rpm? A linux-based OS should NOT make its users completely dependent upon one source for their software. Looking at the above-quoted comment, I can't help but feel that people who are ready to pay (through the nose) for software and services they like already have a readily available and popular OS. It's called "Windows." The allure of Linux is that it opens up availability to the open source world. If Linspire can't do that also then, happy as I've been with it so far, there are other easy to use distros that will free me from Click-N-Run and yearly subscriptions to use my computer.

Linspire doesn't lock you in to CNR any more than Debian does to apt/dpkg, mandrake and redhat to rpm, gentoo to portage... etc etc...
Of course you may install any linux software in linspire if you want. Linspire is a Linux dist after all.
Remember though that, as rpm is for mandrake/redhat and apt for debian, CNR is the supported method for Linspire. With other words you will be on your own when you start messing with non-cnr apps.
As long as you compile the apps yourself, or use binary packages that does not get into Linspire's CNR package system, you will probably encounter few problems.

no gcc as far as i can tell for source code..please correct me if im wrong ..but i need that to compile
tar zxvf packagename.i386.gz
./configure -whatever the option-
make && make install it wont compile it so i downloade most of the debian packages to put it on there but i havent got much time these days so im justr in the dark right now
im sick of redhat to

I believe Linspire's Developer Edition includes gcc.

basically all linspire are doing is charging people for using programs that are free for the most commonly used linux distro packages, suse, red hat, mandrake, debian, ect. linspire knows that windows users will pay for an operating system. i like the linspire desktop and it looks qute easy to use. but there's no point charging someone for something that is free. there are various windows type desktops, xandros being another one, similar to linspire. only xandros has got crossover on it, so u can crossover your windows programs to linux.

CNR is a service.

Services are usually paid for, like car registration, phone connection, broadband or dialup service...

You don't pay for the apps in CNR that are free (as in beer).

However, in CNR you can also buy commercial apps that sell out there for bucks - they are not free (as in beer) to anyone.

Those downloadable/installable apps are cheaper if you have a CNR membership than if you bought them direct.

However there are always folks who don't want to shell out money. I can relate to that. I don't.

But I would rather pay (current rate is about 50cents a week, I think?) for a downloader installer that does it all by magic.

That's choice. I love choice. You don't have to do what you choose not to.

That's cool!

really, what makes linspire any easier than mandrake? ive used both, and all linspire has done is change "home" to "my computer" and XMMS to "media player"

somethin along those lines. installing packages is just as easy in mandrake as it is with linspire

cadj, not sure I follow. I didn't say anything in my post that claimed that Mandrake was harder than Linspire. In fact what I wrote was...
CNR works by pointing to the application you want in a directory or search listing, then one single click.

It didn't work that way in Mandrake 9 or 9.1 (I think) although the 9.1 I have is a liveCD that only allows 800x600 res so I'm not qualified to comment.

And I do think that CNR is cool

I think you and I both got a bit off thread also, through my trying to explain to 01kellyj that they seem to have a misunderstanding about how free software works.

seems the thread went off topic a while ago. my point was that CNR is a pay'd service that again you can get for free

such as urpmi, portage, yum, or apt