Hi, I am new to linux and although I've looked at some howto's and webpages I am still confused as how you go about installing programs under linux. I have been looking for a program or programs to help me to write to dvd's, transcode and authour dvd's (avi or mpeg to dvd). I have read that you can use xine to play dvd's but can't get that to play them (xine is already installed for me). Does anyone know of a step by step for dummies of how to install programs perhaps explaining where program files are kept and how shortcuts are made so that the program appears in the gui "x". I have looked but can't seem to get my head around this any help would be appreciated. I am sick of microsoft crashes and using that piece of s**t operating system, linux's stability seem's a million times better but I need to do the things I used to do under windows i.e.

bittorrent
fileshare
burn dvd video
digital photography
image editing
create cd/dvd labels and covers
make backup's of original dvd's in my collection


can linux do all this?

any guides you can point me in the direction of?

Thanks in advance

You can start with these wiki pages to find applications.

http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/Applications
http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/...ndows_software

This is kind of outdated, but still should be useful

http://linuxshop.ru/linuxbegin/win-l...en/table.shtml

I'm not familiar with Mandrake, but to install software, you run:
There is a GUI for urpmi called rpmdrake which should make it easier for you to install software if you don't like using the command-line.

thanks for those looks good I am browsing them now

james-jmpm; also look through these; http://www.nongnu.org/dvdrtools
(2)pp,s two.

tried to install gift, did the tar, ./configure, make and su -c 'make install' thing, didn't appear on the gui though (no shortcut) still don't get how you make the program appear in the gui so you can run it with a gui. Had a look at rpmdrake and doesn't seem to let you point to a package or tarball and install it. Tried to install dvdrtools too but some errors were thrown up that are complete gobbledegook to me. Can't you download a program so that you can click on it in the gui and it installs and configures on it's own. Also I have two icons on the bottom of the kde desktop called "hard disk (cd) (not mounted)" if I click on either of them or try to mount them the following error comes up:
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/cd,
or too many mounted file systems

any ideas what these icons are (i'm guessing something to do with my cd writer and dvd writer) what they're for and how to make them work?

to make a shortcut icon to a program appear on your GUI, do this:

right mouse click, choose Create new, choose Link to application, you will get an applet, choose the Execute tab, click on browse button, find the application(it's normally in /user/bin) click on the program there, click on OK. You are done. Oh yeah, in general Tab, change "Link to application" to the name of your program.


Second, I am afraid you DO have a rather long road ahead of you if you want to be able to do ALL the things you listed. I'd suggest you begin by buying a good Linux book or two and reading them. Learn all the commands. Find out how things are done in Linux. Installing programs in Linux is NOT as easy as downloading an exe file clicking on it and installing it. In Linux you either download the binary in a form of RPM or compling from source. If you clever enough to be using Debian it's as simple as typing "apt-get name of pgrgram". Mandrake uses urpm.


There is much more that can be said, but that is enough for now. It's now time for you to go to the bookstore and get a few Linux books.

james-jmpm; as petkov advised long road. try not to think in W terms, abandon them you will fare better. read any thing that will make sense
or at least till it does make sense. I,m newbie too but that is how i am learning. seems as if i know alot not really just read,read till i get it!