installing new software
 

Hi, I'm a complete newbie to Linux, it looks great runs fine but I'll be damned if I can understand how it installs new programs. For instance I have been trying over nd over to install some sort of media player (Xine, Mplayer Ogle) with no success or it seems to install but I can't find the stupid things. I am about to pull my hair out from frustration can anyone help me out here?:(

What is the file ext. ?

tar.gz or rpm?

If a newbie install a popular distribution ie redhat. Then go to
http://freshrpms.net/ and install apt read the instruction here http://freshrpms.net/apt/ Firstly install synaptic if you want a nice graphical interface to apt. Then you should have hassle free installation of xine mpalyer etc using apt.

Try this. I was tring to install MozillaFirebird and took me hell to get it working.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...347#post424347

If your file come as tar.gz, unzip it using terminal console to 'usr/local'. From there find the file that opens your program and link it off to your desktop on your tool menu at the bottom.

I know how u feel, i just switched from Windows just last night. My biggest accompluisment so far was getting my DVI LCD to work with Linux under 1280x1024. And it does now :).

If u need more help keep posting here, ill be happy to give u advaice i've learned over the span of 10 hrs of using linux.

well ok I got apt and synaptic,... installed so far as I can tell. How do I find it? can I make a "shortcut" to it or does it just run on its own?

First of all, which Linux distribution are you using (RedHat, Mandrake, SuSe, etc) ?

Second, you mentioned you wanted to install a new program (software),
what is the name of the software and what is the extension (.rpm, .tar.gz, .tgz, etc)
Post the entire filename.

I'm using Red Hat 9 and I am trying to install Xine/mplayer/Ogle one of them at least, I've tried to get RPM's if I could. as I said I installed Apt and Synaptic like a few of you suggested but I don't know where to find it:cry: :newbie:

It usally is the one with Applcation name. Drag it to your desktop and click "Link here".

Ok. Let's install an RPM.
Download the RPM by saving it into your HOME directory.

Open a terminal window by
Clicking on the Menu icon, go to System Tools and click on Terminal.

Type: su -
You will need to enter your root password.

To install the RPM, type: rpm -ivh theFileName

To find the executable, for example, for mplayer,
type: whereis mplayer

synaptic is under system settings/synaptic

or just start a terminal and type

synaptic

or you can use apt in a terminal window, read the apt instructions at freshrpms :study:

By the way you have to download then install apt to be able to use it. Use rpm as described above. Once apt is installed you wont need to use rpm again for files on this site. This is the procedure.

1. down load apt to a directory.

2. Start a terminal and become root user by typing
su

and enter your password next, as su do this.

rpm -Uvh apt-0.5.5cnc6-fr1.i386.rpm

Hopefull apt should now be installed.

3. Next fetch synaptic by typing in the terminal window

apt-get update

apt-get install synaptic

So now synaptic is installed and ready to be used.

4. Now use synaptic to download and install other rpms. It will work out dependencies and advise you if other files need to be down loaded as well.

5. Logout as su once you have finished