First of all, I should say that I know next to nothing about any of this, so please talk to me like a 5 year-old (yes, I'm inviting it). I'm not a programmer, a network administrator, or a linux user. I'm just trying to get started on this, and I figured in this forum (Linspire) I won't get booted.

Here is how it all started: I tried to install the BitTorrent package, and was told that my Python was not up to date (mind you, from here on, I didn't know what any of this meant). So I found a newer Python, and tried to install that, and it still told me that my Python was not up to date (you need an up-to-date Python to install an up-to-date Python???) So I found a mid-range Python and tried to install that, then got a host of messages saying that I had no C or C++ compilers. Did some searching on that, and found something called GCC, and tried to install myriad versions of that, but kept getting the "pre-compiled" error. So I googled that a bit, and found that the problem here is the original problem: no compiler.

My question is this: why isn't there one in Linspire? Again, not really knowing what a compiler is, my research tells me that it's a basic part of any Linux distribution. My second question is, how can I get one without already having one? Something about RPMs keep popping up when I ask that question.

Can anyone help me out of this? Much appreciated.

"Again, not really knowing what a compiler is, my research tells me that it's a basic part of any Linux distribution. My second question is, how can I get one without already having one? Something about RPMs keep popping up when I ask that question."

A programmer writes a program in a computer language which is a vague cross between English and symbolic logic. What the programmer writes is called source code. Then a compiler program is used to translate the source code into a machine code executable binary which is a long string of hexadecimal numbers that only a computer could love. When you run a program you are running the binary version.

gcc is the name of the compiler which converts C source code into machine gibberish.

There are several ways to install a program. One way is to take the source code and run it through the appropriate compiler. Another way is to take a binary which has already been compiled on another computer and install that. So you need to install the binary version of gcc.

RPMs are a method of distributing binary packages. So if Lindows uses RPMs then you need to download several interdependent RPM packages centered on gcc and install them. I don't know enough about Linspire to tell you where to get them and which ones you need.

"why isn't there one in Linspire?"

Linspire is designed to appeal to people who know nothing about computers. Linspire thinks that people who know nothing about computers have no need for gcc and don't bother installing it.

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Steve Stites

There's all development tools you need in CNR. Also there is a developers edition of Linspire.

If you have Linspire you can install GCC 3 from the Click n Run warehouse, or you can use the Linspire/Lindows Developer Edition which contains this preinstalled.

Which is great if you have a connection to the internet. Most Linux distros take a little configurating to get on the net if your hardware was not detected, and not having those tools to compile a driver setup such as driverloader 1.64 or something along those lines can be pretty aggrevating. I usually have a disk of odds and ends drivers sitting around just in case, so when I installed Linspire, and than found out I couldnt even use the command "make" i was a bit pissed off to say the least.

There has been quite a few discussions regarding the dev edition of Linspire, but it usually comes down to having to buy another membership to access that. That brings the total cost close to $150.00 (with CNR membership) So...than I have to ask, do I buy another version of XP, another version of SUSE, Redhat..etc...?