Hi, i will be running Red Hat 9 soon. I just wanted to know, how does one go on about install, uninstall and upgrade of the software.

1.If i wanted to install something, would i just unzip it, then ./configure, ./make, and ./make install ?

2. Is there a folder where all the software are installed (such as Program Files on Windows)

3. If so, would it be best to unzip it in that folder and install it from there?

4. For uninstall, how does one go on about it? Just delete all the files? Or would there be an uninstaller? Would there be something like the registry on windows, where you have to get rid of the files as well?

5. To upgrade to a newer version, would it be best to uninstall/delete the previous version first? For example last time i tired to update gaim, i download the new version, just unzipped it in the same place and run ./configure, /make, and ./make install. But i don't think anything happened. So how does one go on about upgrading current software installed on the system?

Thanks

MR

Another question, would it be a security issuse to use Red Hat 9? Since Red Hat doesn't support it anymore. Should i upgrade to Fedora? I have a PIII 500, 256MB RAM, 4GB HD. Will i get better performence with Fedora?

well on redhat-based systems you usually don't have to compile from source code unless you want to... you can use binary "packages"...

the package management system in redhat is called "rpm"... it means redhat package management or something like that...

look at the man page for it for all the info:

man rpm

or this link:

http://www.die.net/doc/linux/man/man8/rpm.8.html


BASICALLY:


to _install_ an rpm:

rpm -i your-file.rpm


to _remove_ an rpm:

rpm -e your-file


to _upgrade_ and rpm:

rpm -U your-file.rpm





on a side note:

personally, the first rpm i'd install is apt, so as to avoid the dependancy nightmare that rpm can drag you into...


apt for red hat 9 can be obtained here:

http://shrike.freshrpms.net/rpm.html?id=1212


the best documentation for apt would of course be the official debain apt howto:

http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/ap.../index.en.html

(it's an interesting read)

I am actually going with Fedora now. So i guess it's the same thing?

MR

Hi M.R!

Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org. You've got a bunch of questions up there

No, wrong start. The first thing you will do is to read the README file of the program you want to install. In Linux we have a term called RTFM (Read the fuc*** manual). Read it always first, because during ./configure a lot of instructions can be passed to the application, as location to install, enable or not a function (as mplayer to be installed with gui support has to be used with "./configure --enable-gui". for example).

Usually they go to /usr/local. Always read the manual, you can install them, at first, wherever you please .

It won't matter. Wherever you run the install script, or you either specify where to install or accept the defaults, regardless to where you are running the script from. Only root can install/remove program though...

When compiling from source, most likely that application has an uninstall script(usually at the same folder that you ran ./configure). If not, delete it and remove all links to the application... This is for source installation, rpm's are totally different beasts...

Read the manual for that application first. Some ask to first remove the application, some won't. Upgrading rpm's are again, totally different beasts.

Redhat and Mandrake are slow. At least for me, they have always been (2ghz processor here). That might not be the case for others. No matter the services I'm running or not, it runs slow for me. I'd recommend a better (again in my opinion) distribution, newbie friendly, easy to install and upgrade any package with a simple command line. Libranet 2.7 Classic Free Edition:

www.libranet.com

you can read (please do it, you won't regret) a review of it here:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/review...php?product=99

Just for your information, I've installed Libranet 2.7 in a Compaq with 166 MHZ processor, XFCE(http://www.xfce.org/index.php) desktop enviroment, 32 of RAM and it runs very well, as did Slackware 9.0 in that machine. So that won't be a problem for you computer. Libranet 2.8 and above (non-free) provides even 3D acceleration right out the box.

Best luck!

Another thing, this is a great thread about installing programs, wrote by one of our mods:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...threadid=45094

Regards!

Thank you for your great support Megaman X and win32sux also. I just read the libranet review and it sounds excellent. I wanted a Debian based distro, but something easier, as i am still new. It looks like the best distro for me. Thanks again.

MR

Megaman X is the man.

My input [which has helped me immensely, no end and that means infinity] is a dae-cent oul - boook. Believe it or not. You will not be able to horde all the bileedin boo-ooks you can muster in the library. I keep sketch on all the sales - you will be surprized. there are plenety of oul booooks that will teach youall the basics an get you a rollicking kickstart.

Cool I hope we can get more peoples to use Libranet. It really is great. I wanted to make LinuxQuestions.org/Libranet forum more active too so it's always good to have another member. win32sux has great points. Redhat's apt-get works neat.

Thanks mossy mate!. I really appreciated it . I thought most of the members in this forum hated me because I have/love the Microsoft Xbox, ghehe . Anyway, thanks. I will work much more happy today . Even if it's to serve food for some riches snobs in a boat. Oh well :S