Hi experts, good day.

I have few questions regarding installing:
1. Why is that in Linux if we install a program we need to use a command?
2. Is Linux can't make a program which is already compiled and we just run the program to install it just like in Windows?

I'll be waiting for your answers guys.

Take care and God bless.

You don't have to use a command if you use the package manager to do your installs.
There are binaries that you can manually install. Depending on which distro you use it can either be xxxxx.rpm or xxxxx.deb format. Those are the main two binary formats.

as above there are rpm's and deb files.( prebuilt packages) for example on fedora 9 i can use "packagekit" or "yumex" two GUI's to install the rpm's from the repositories . no commands needed , just point and click.

but most of the time is is easer to use the command line to install the rpm's , using "yum"
in a terminal window i would type in - for example -
that is what the GUI's do "packagekit" or "yumex" ( for fedora)
I also like to build the programs from the source code .For that there is a bit ( sometimes a lot) of typing

it is just that things are not done the " Microsoft way " in Linux or Mac

also if you have noticed that a windows installer(*.exe or *.msi) will have ALL of the *.dll files to run it even though you already have 5 to 20 copies of them already installed , ( dill hell) linux dose not have this problem but that is a bit beyond the scope of the thread

I think you are newbie to linux.
I would suggest go try installing the software through Graphical Interface.
Do let me know which OS you are working on?

If its Red Hat Linux, Just browse through Application > Add/remove Programs.
On Ubuntu, synaptic will be the easy program to undertake the same.

Hope you understood..

Thanks Sir {BBI}Nexus{BBI}, John VV, and your_shadow03 for your answers. Your answers are great. Yeah I know about Package Manager and Add/Remove Programs. However, sometimes in Package Manger or in Add/Remove Programs, I didn't see what I need. So I need to search, download the package, and install it manually.

I'm using Kubuntu 8.10, I can install deb packages since Kubuntu and other variants are all based from debian without using a command. But some packages like .tar, .tar.gz, and etcetera need to manually install. Sometimes I forgot the commands on how to install.

I have a question again:
1. How many binary packages does Linux have?

I hope Linux does have a universal installer files so that we could just install it right away without using a command.

SHENGTON,

There are some occasions when it is necessary to use commands in the terminal to install packages with Linux but most of the time I use the graphical equivalents such as Synaptic.

Open Synaptic package manager in Kubuntu.

There are more than 26,000 packages listed. There's a fair chance you can find something suitable.

In Synaptic, type the name of the package you require in the "Search" box and press Enter.
If the box to the left of the package is blank then tick it.
Click on Mark for installation.
Click on Mark All Upgrades (some extra packages may be needed in addition to the one you have selected).
Click on Apply.
Click on Apply.

The package will be downloaded and installed.

With regard to compiling and installing software from source (eg tarballs, tar.gz files etc), look here:

http://www.tuxfiles.org/linuxhelp/softinstall.html

I think you mean something that is similar to windows software installers?

Linux software installation works slightly differently. (Almost) every modern Linux distro has a package manager that installs all packages you have requested along with all dependencies. More information can be provided if you let us know about your distro :-)

Most distros also come with a click and install system. Where you can just double click on the package file or a link online and it will start installer tool (Ubuntu/Ubuntu-derivates and openSUSE have this for sure as I've used that).

The fundamental difference between windows and linux software installation and management is the way handles it. In windows anyone can come along and run a setup and install program anywhere and just basic configuration and some other information is stored in registry. In linux all installed packages are accounted for and kept record of centrally with a much better control. There are of course exceptions to this which are: compiled using source and copying a binary rather than a package.

Linux in itself is only a kernel so it has no binary packages.

It is the distributions, e.g. Kubuntu 8.10 that you are now using, that have packages managers -- not all the same, unfortunately.

Bear in mind that when there in one "Windows" or one "Mac OS" -- if you forget about the versions -- there isn't one "Linux" but many slightly different operating systems using Linux as their kernel.

Even when they use the same package manager you should be careful to install only packages built for *your* version of *your* distribution; otherwise maybe the program will work on your system, may be it won't, and may be installing it will break something, preventing others programs you already had to work. This can be the case e.g. if to install properly a new program you need to install another version of a library already installed on your system. Then chances are that other programs relying upon the previous version of the library will not work any more.

Furthermore, whilst some distributions make one big binary package of an application, other cut the same application in many little packages, so it doesn't really make sense to add all these packages to give a total.

Sorry about that but do not expect an universal installer, i.e. a program able to install any binary package on any Linux-based distribution: my guess is it won't happen in a foreseeable future.

Now bear in mind that though from that standpoint the situation be slightly better for e.g. MS Windows, there still are many binary packages which do not install properly on *all* Windows versions but only on some of them.

So the best you can do in my humble opinion is find the binary packages suitable for *your* version of *your* distribution, or use another distribution if really you miss an application not available that way.

Don't bother too much with tar.gz and compiling software. Only developers need to do that. You will find some forums where developers talk to each other about that. You probably don't need to compile anything. Just stick to the rpm or deb packages, ignore the tar.gz files and you should be fine.

Universal installer ? there are several projects for this.

http://autopackage.org/
http://nixstaller.berlios.de/news.php


Although it's typically easier to install software from a Distros repository using it's own package management tools..

I didn't get what you mean Sir. Please could you explain this further.

Why it won't happen Sir?

Just have a look at this page
of Distrowatch.com's website. You will see that they got information about 313 different distributions, a vast majority of it being built around a Linux kernel.

Because there are so many different teams and individuals eager to build *the best* (to their eyes) distribution ever. They simply don't agree on what the "ultimate package manager" should be. And there is not such thing like a "central authority" giving them instructions about what to do and how to do it.

Which is not bad, in my humble opinion: certainly, there is some kind of energy wasted in so many people doing similar things. But all in all this make Linux distributions better and better.

Sometimes I think that some of these talented people would better use their skills in inventing new applications instead of packaging already existing ones. But _that's_their_choice_ and I respect it. And I'm grateful to them, as their work permit me to use the applications I need or want.

PS There still exist some standardization effort occurring; see the Linux Standard Base

and if you DO come across a program you DO NEED that is the source code only , no prebuild binary available.
then ask for some help and post a link to the web site where that program is
here is a prime example ISIS from the USGS
http://isis.astrogeology.usgs.gov/index.html
thee binary installer for the " generic" Linux works for most people but has an incompatibility with some versions of KDE .
kde 64 bit mostly . and dose need to be recompiled

Thanks guys. Your inputs are great.