installing gcc
 

every so often i ask this question, because i still don't know how to do it.

Can anyone direct me to a complete tutorial aimed at the linux noob attempting to install gcc, and operate it?

a tutorial is not suitable, it's just a case of installing the gcc package like any other package. but as you've not even told us what distro you're using we can't tell you what you want to know really... just use the same procedure you already use to install rpms, debs, ebuild, tgz's or whatever your distro uses for inary software management.

FC4, i've downloaded and theoretically installed:

gcc-3.3.tar.gz

i remember it did its wild thing, loading up my screen with all the packages it was installing to some directory which i no longer remember where. I remember i cd'd to that directory and tried to ./gcc, man gcc, you know anything like that.. i also tried just using the standard whatever you call it that looks like this:

g++ somefile.cpp -o somefile

etc... but i remember getting a command not recognized. So what i need is an all out tutorial on how to install and operate gcc to compile c and c++ programs.

Note: i come from windows like most people and i am used to just installing something and having the binary ready for me to roll with. Also please note that i use minGW in the windows environment, so i'm not a complete noob but this Fedora Core 4 seems to be employing some trickery on me. (to be honest it looks like it expects me to compile the gcc compiler. I find that strange considering you would need a c compiler to compile a gcc compiler, thus making the process of compiling one a little... futile.) though if the world does make sense than its just that i'm not using the proper commands or something..

please, someone, anyone, help me to get gcc working.

right, FC4 thanks... so run "yum install gcc" and press enter.

Hm... interesting... ever been able to run "winstall mingw" and have it running 30 seconds later? thought not. installing software on Linux is often a LOT easier than under windows.