Hi: I'm new to Linspire, introduced to it because it's came preloaded on a computer system I just purchased. Linspire seems really easy to use, at least to surf the internet in it's Mozilla based web browser. I was on the internet with it less than ten minutes. Anyway, I noticed it comes with just the bare, minimum application software, but, has the "Click N Run' feature to pick and choose from their website. This is probably great for those users who want a really simple way to download and install software, but, I'd like to pick and choose from sites that offer freeware and shareware type of Linux programs. From what I've learned so far, it's possible to do this, with a few utility programs installed in Linspire, like "Alien, dpkg, Perl, just to name a few.
My first project is to download and install some programs I would want to use, like Yahoo Messenger and Real Player. I've already downloaded YM, from a site with linux software, have it successfully downloaded to my computer. The file has the " .rpm ' extension. I'm sure I now need those utility programs to go any further, can anyone link me to what those are, and, maybe a tutorial of the steps to install? I've searched the threads in this Linspire heading, found one about installing programs, but, it was instructing how to use "apt-get", which, I'm not sure is what I want. Also, I'm on dial up connection, with only 28.8 connection speed, so, I want to be able to use a download manager to get my software, then, install from Linspire. Any links or help would be appreciated, and, I am going to search the threads more right now, herein LinuxQuestions. org

read the thread called ' installing programs '.on this forum.

and for Linspire.......i don t like it . (good installer, bad distro ).
i m back to Slack.

egag.

Hi egag: I went through that thread just earlier, and, I thought most of the links posted there referred to using "apt-get" ( which, might be the best way for me to get and iinstall the programs I want ). I will check those links out more in detail. Looks like you are familiar with Slackware, and, from what I've found out from the threads so far, anyone who is fluent in other Linux distributions and look at Linspire, reminding them of the problems with Windows, maybe? My only experience with Linux is pretty limited, so, I can't really compare Linspire to anything but a MS Windows OS.

Buying a new computer with windows is like buying a new car and putting Bill Gates in the driver-seat.

Linspire is nice to take a look at Linux OS ( same directory structure etc.), but it also has to much hokus-pokus.
Any real Linux distro will make you boss of your own pc. But installation and getting all hardware to work will
( sometimes ) take a little reading and searching.

On the other hand you will learn a lot about how the OS is build up, and a nice thing of Linux is that old hardware
is ( almost ) always supported. ( i have an 7 jr. old miro-pctv card and xp won t install the normal drivers, i found one on the www. in the french language , but is is not working properly, sometimes the system crashes. With Linux there are no problems.)
And there is a lot of help on the www.

Finally it will become your favorite OS. ( i think so ?)

On this site there s a lot if info for starters, just take some time and look around.

and oh yeah.....Linux is FREE ( makes my Dutch hart go Boomboomboom ...(etc.))

good luck !

egag.