Okay, so I've literally tried EVERYTHING that I've found on how to install a tar.gz package.

I download it, open the terminal, use -zxvf to extract (tried -xzf as well), use cd command, the thing turns blue, put in "./configure" and I get, "no such file or directory."

So I try a different way, the way found on zorinos.com itself, extract using Archive Manager, and again, use cd command, and then open the "readme.txt" and follow its instructions JUST LIKE IT F&$%ING SAYS and got NOTHING. AGAIN. I'm too close to throwing my computer into the fire to try again and fail when I'm doing EVERYTHING THE STUPID INSTRUCTIONS ASK ME TO. Can anybody help please?

Instructions in the "readme.txt" are as follows:

"Installation instructions
-------------------------
Installing using the plugin tar.gz:
o Unpack the plugin tar.gz and copy all the files to /usr/lib/adobe-flashplugin/ "


How am I supposed to do this when the file I'm supposed to "copy all the files to" doesn't exist and I can't create the folder myself neither before nor after I extract the package?

And second, that was literally ALL the installation instructions besides installing using RPM, which I'm not aware that I have. How tf' is it going to install just by copying the files into somewhere, and that's IF THE LOCATION EVEN EXISTED. NOTHING MAKES ANY SENSE.

Each time I try to install any tar.gz it's like I'm being set up to do something that can't be done and I can't stand it. If this doesn't bring a solution then I'll just give up.

Hope you can help. Thanks.

/usr/lib/adobe-flashplugin/ would not be a "file" - it is a directory. If it doesn't exist you can create with:
mkdir /usr/lib/adobe-flashplugin

The ./configure you mention is used in many installations but NOT ALL. If it is used it is extracted from the bundle.

The instructions you have say nothing about using ./configure. They simply tell you to copy the files you extracted into the directory.

If you don't have permissions to create the directory then someone with root access would need to do it. I don't use Zorin but you may have access with sudo so try:
sudo mkdir /usr/lib/adobe-flashplugin

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Thank you for the correct terminology!

So, after creating the directory THEN do I extract the files into it? Or, rather, if I already have everything
FYI , it's not just one item either, is that okay?

And theeeeeeeeen?? lol

After I, 1) extract the files, 2) create the directory and so, how do I copy the files to the directory using the terminal? Zorin is Ubuntu based so I cannot simply log in as root to do this and it's telling me I don't have permission to move any of the items there.

Sorry for asking, but if you have the paid version of Zorin, why don't you get the support from them on this issue to which you're entitled?

I'm sorry, I'll leave.
Just kidding.
Does it matter?
I thought that was the point of the forum, oh dear, wise Linux Guru?
I would think you'd be a little more welcoming than that.
Thanks for the question but it doesn't require an answer, I'm sorry.

What? It was a legitimate question, driven by concern that you should get the best help available. The Zorin guys will know their system inside out and as you've paid for the product you are entitled to get free support for this particular issue. Genuinely, you should try that avenue first.

@hydrurga gave you great advice, that official help from the Zorin creators will carry a much higher chance of success than blindly typing random commands in the terminal. Installing using your distro's "package manager" should normally be your first choice.

To the extent that Zorin is based on Ubuntu, I would think these beginner-friendly instructions might do the trick:

https://help.ubuntu.com/stable/ubunt...-flash.html.en

(Disclaimer: I am not a Zorin user.)

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I want to officially apologize for my snide comments earlier, I was half a sleep and had just woken up from crap-for-sleep.

No problem. I can see how you could have interpreted what I said in the way that you did. I could have been clearer in indicating why I was asking that question.

You don't need to compile it.

Just copy libflashplayer.so from the decompressed files to the plugins directory for your browser. For Firefox, that's /usr/lib[64]/mozilla/plugins.

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Uh, great advice but if you read my previous question above, how do I do that when I "don't have permission" to copy anything into that directory? And I can't just log in as root either-Ubuntu doesn't give that option and Zorin is literally Ubuntu with the appearance tweaked to make it look a little more like Windows.

Can I do it through the terminal?
Thanks.

YOU.
YOU BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL HUMAN BEING. (Not that you already were not.)

This did it, thank you!

And NOW, my next question/kinda continuing the original question:

How the hell do you install a .tar.gz package?
My issues remain as stated above but I'll repeat them again.

When entering ./configure into the terminal I get "no such file or directory,"

Entering the cd command turns it blue, yes, BUT,

Entering the "make" command afterwards (as directed) just gives me, "make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found. Stop." and the directions (found online) aren't specific at all as if they assume everyone knows wtf "target" we're supposed to "specify" and wtf a "makefile" even is or what any of it even means and therefore (I assume) what additional names/phrases/commands/etc need to be entered besides just the word "make" because obviously something is missing (unless its just the one half of my brain that's missing) and I'm not understanding what to do after having followed the given steps and still continuing to be shit on by a response of denial. It's like they're setting you up for failure!

Thanks for your patience guys, I really appreciate it!
-Mr. Irritated AF' Over This BS

You're welcome!

.tar.gz is simply an archive format (like .zip in Windows).

A .tar.gz archive can contain anything: source code to be compiled, a binary executable, backup archives, log files, photos from your vacation, etc.

So the answer to your question, "how do you install a .tar.gz package?" really depends on what's inside. There is no one-size-fits-all set of directions. Usually when you extract the archive, you will see a README or INSTALL file, with installation instructions.

An analogy to your question would be, "I have this bag of groceries from the supermarket. The bag is brown in color and seems to be made of some kind of paper. How do I cook the food inside the bag?" The answer of course is that you need to know what kind of food is inside the bag, before you can come up with a recipe to cook it. If the bag is full of steak, then you won't get good results following a chicken recipe.

.tar.gz is simply a container.

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