really dumb, but not 4 a newbie
 

Am successfully running Linux 8.0, the only one I could get to 'see' my external Netcomm Mega-i-Modem.

I want to install some audio and video editing packages, like 'kino'.

I have a .tar.gz archive. Having copied it to my home folder, I clicked on the archive, which then expanded into a specific 'kino' folder with lots of files.

I've printed out the 'install' directions, run ./configure in a terminal, which produces amongst other items the error message, "configure:2146: error: no acceptable C compiler found in $PATH"

Please be kind and tell me what I'm doing wrong?

I fear that, unless Linux gets simpler to install software, many people simply won't bother with it, they'll stick with Windows, which I don't wish to do.

Cheers and thanks
GM

really dumb, but not 4 a newbie
 

GM,

First of all there is no linux 8.0. You need to tell us what distribution you are using, i.e. Debian, Mandrake, Redhat, etc. and its version number.

Other than that you are on the right track. The error you are recieving is telling you that if you have a C compiler installed it cannot find it because its not in your path, or that, you do not have one installed. The former is more likely. You need to install the gcc package or an equivalent C compiler.

Jim

You should install the development packages for whatever distro you're using including gcc, make, and I'd recommend installing your kernel source as well if it isn't already.

Some distros, especially the so-called newbie friendly ones, don't include development tools by default and you have to install them. This isn't a fault of Linux in general, just a choice made my the developers of the particular distro.

Installing apps in Linux is no harder than windoze, just different. If you were to try and compile something in windoze you would also need a compiler and would get errors without it.

Re: really dumb, but not 4 a newbie
 

sure there is.........linux 8.0 usually refers to Redhat 8.0

masonm: you're right, installing programs onto a GNU/linux box is just as easy as it is for windows, and (in my experience) often easier.

what most newbies probably aren't taught is *how*: using the package manager--your distro provides you with (ackermann(~4 to 5)) packages; most likely the one that does X (which you want done) is one of them.

so, OP, search through your packages; use yum, rpm, apt-get, synaptic; whatever your distro recommends/provides/you like.

see also: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...0&pagenumber=2 (or pagenumber=1)

hth --Jonas

really dumb, but not 4 a newbie
 

sure there is.........linux 8.0 usually refers to Redhat 8.0

There is also Slackware 8.0, Suse 8.0, as well as others.

Re: Re: really dumb, but not 4 a newbie
 

You need to be more specific about the distro you are using. There is no such thing as Linux 8.0 as you were informed. Distros are referred to by their name and version number. Only the Linux kernel is referred to as Linux and it hasn't reached version 8.0 yet.

Linux is NOT generic for RedHat. At one time, when someone said "Linux" they were referring to Slackware Linux. Now that we have so many distros out there that's no longer applicable.

Sorry guys,

my version is Redhat 8.0

GM

Mandrake and SuSE had a version 8.0 too, right?

no biggie ;)

then how come the distro field of your profile says Mandrake 10?

(go to `User CP' -> `edit profile' (iirc) -> `distro')

--Jonas

been thrashing around
 

since I registered for this forum I've changed to Redhat 8.0 because I simply could not get Mandrake 10.1 to see my external modem and I don't have the expertise to get into authentications, ppp etc.

still learning
Cheers
GM

So just to get it straight: you don't use Mandrake anymore--correct? Then you should change your profile.

--Jonas