Help installing AMSN

[Aenslead]

Hey everyone.

I just dl'ed the most recent version of Mandrake (10.1) and installed it in my Dell P4 1.6Ghz w/384Mb of RAMBUS memory ( sucks, doesn't it?), 40Gb HDD, CD-Rom, and your regular struff.

Anyhow, I am quite frankly a neophite and have no clue whatsoever on:
a.- making shortcuts (a la Windows)
b.- installing friggin AMSN

When I try to use the installer, it prompts me that I don't have a TCL/tk version installed on my computer, hence, it cannot proceed. I already went to http://tcl.sourceforge.net, to no avail. I already dl'ed all the files there and cannot find a way to install it whatsoever.

This is my first time using Linux. I already managed to install Firefox, but cannot figue a way to make a shortcut to my desktop or the K menu. HELP!

I NEEEEED to install AMSN to finally consider switching to Linux on my office PC's.

 

[kamper]

I'd suggest learning to use whatever package manager mandrake uses. I believe urpmi is the commandline tool but I don't know if there's a gui one. If you go into the mandrake control center, have a look around for something to do with software installation. It will probably allow you to search and it will turn up packages that match your criteria. Try to find tcl and tk and install them using that tool. Then you can go ahead with the amsn rpm.

Package managers find and install software for you and they automatically check to make sure the correct versions of all dependencies are installed (for instance, tcl/tk is a dependency of amsn). It's much easier, especially for a beginner. The only problem is that you rely on a package repository (by default it will probably use your installation cds as a repository) and if the program you want isn't there you have to install it by yourself. Amsn probably won't be on your cd repository but tcl/tk definitely will be.

Once you get used to using the package manager, I'd suggest figuring out how to configure it to grab it's stuff from an online repository. That way you always get updated versions of everything you install.

 

[gflores]

Originally posted by: kamper
Once you get used to using the package manager, I'd suggest figuring out how to configure it to grab it's stuff from an online repository. That way you always get updated versions of everything you install.

Can you point me to an online program repository? Thanks.

 

[kamper]

Don't know of any for mandrake but you might start looking around their website or googling. You should be fairly careful about what you pick because all packages that you use should be made by people that co-ordinate the package names (you don't want some package refusing to install because it's looking for a prerequisite with the wrong name). Generally you'll get more knowledgeable help in the OS forum.

 

[ys]

Easy Urpmi lets you choose the main, update and contrib sites and tells how to point urpmi to those.

If can't find your desired package, there a couple rpm search engines:
rpmfind.net
rpmseek.com




PS. have you looked at Gaim yet?

 

[Aenslead]

So I finally found the "wish" command that's suggested so I can install dang AMSN, but I cannot seem to make it run. I am runing out of ideas. I need an idiot-proof explanation on this one.

Also, do you know how I can make "shortcuts" on Linux?

thanks in advance.

 

[kamper]

Installing stuff on linux is always one of the hardest things for a noob. Even if it doesn't fix your immediate problem you should seriously look into learning a little about package managers. It makes everything much, much easier. Installing stuff like tcl/tk from outside sources (not by package manager) isn't usually a good thing unless you have a good reason and know what you're doing.

When I started (and I'm not really all that far yet...) I blew away installation after installation, screwing things up by experimenting. I find that reinstalling is usually easier than learning to clean up after yourself when you've done something you're not really supposed to. Not that you've done anything wrong, it's just too easy to mess things up when you do stuff as root.

Making shortcuts on the filesystem (via commandline) can be done with the ln command (try "man ln" for instructions). If you're just looking for desktop shortcuts it's gonna depend on what windowing system you're using and how it happens to be set up. It probably won't ever be quite as natural as it seems in windows but after a while you'll realize that it doesn't have to be.