Generic Linux and Suse 10 questions
 

Greetings all!
I just installed my new Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop 10.
The good thing is that it recognized my Bewan dsl modem easily, allowing me to be here with you! :)
I had a short-lived first experience with Linux (Suse 7.1) about 5 or 6 years ago with a Motorola cable modem. I then moved to DSL and tried several distros several times over the years, but my modem (bewan PCI then) was never recognized, and I certainly had no clue as to how do it with a konsole and command lines, all by my lonesome!!
But now, life is good and here I am able to ask questions.

--Suse 10 came with Firefox 1.5.0.4 installed and I managed (How???) to update it with an RPM of 1.5.0.7. Some progress!!
I then DLed the new FF 2.0.0.1 version as a tar.gz. It now sits on my desktop and I am at a loss as to what to do next.
Same ol' question from a newbie, I gather: what to do to install a tar.gz thingie? Where is the Linux equivalent of "program files" (assuming there is such an equivalent)?
Step by step holding my hand, please!!!;)
Now I realize I'm here in the intro forum, and it's probably not the place where to ask software installation questions, so I hope someone can direct me to the proper place.
Thanks a lot!!!

michel

Hi Michel! Regarding you question about installation from tar.gz (source) first of all you may read the sticky message at the top of this forum: it points to a thread called "Useful thread and information about installing programs". Also after you have ungzipped and untarred the archive, you normally find two files called README and INSTALL. Please, read them carefully and follow step by step the instruction contained in INSTALL.

To extract the tar.gz you can simply do:
then cd into the newly created directory.

However, I'd suggest (and a lot of people here would do) to install from RPM, if available. So, in SUSE you can open YAST, click to Install/Remove Software and look for the package you want to install. Easy as doing some click.

Probably first you have to add some installation source, e.g. a repository which provides the updates to your OS.

Regarding the "Program Files" folder, there is no equivalent in Linux but you can install the software anywhere (indeed, this is true for Windows). The environment variable PATH tells to the system where to look for executables. By the way, a lot of program are installed by default in /usr/local.

Hope this will help, for now... :)

Just a note. I have seen your post in the "Member Intro" forum. Please post your questions in one forum only (the most relevant one). This avoids confusion and redundancy. Cheers.

Will do, thanks Colucix!!



Yes, moving from dir to dir is something I have to learn. First, how to get to "desktop" via konsole. :-D




So, it's OK to install whatever I have into /usr/local, like Firefox2 whenever I figure out the whys and wherefroms of 'untarring' ???

Thanks again Colucix!! :-)

Yes, I will do it right next time. Sorry, it is my first time on this forum, and my third day with Suse and Linux!!!

Michel