• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Installing Programs in Linux

C

Churnd

Member

I just got my first full version of Linux up and running yesterday. I'm running Mandrake 10.1 and so far, all my hardware is working which is a huge plus, I guess. Now I'm trying to figure out how to install programs.

I downloaded the setup file for FireFox, which was in tar.gz format. I wasn't exactly sure how to deal with this format, but somehow I got it unzipped into a sub-directory of Home. There's a shell in that folder that I can double click to launch FireFox that will work every time. But if I try to create a copy of that shell outside the folder, it won't work.

I've searched google and can't find a straightforward answer on how I need to install these files. I saw in the configuration panel that there's an RPM installer (which I used to update everything) as well as a program installer, which I toyed around with for a few mins but didn't really get anywhere.

So how do I need to do this? What's the best way to deal with certain installation files such as RPM and TAR.GZ?
 
RPM files are installed using rpm -i <path to rpmfile>
There are tools like APT and Yum that make installing dependencies for rpm packages easier. I am not sure what Mandrake uses.
TAR.GZ is a tarball and usually contains source code for compiling. It is uzipped using the tar command.

Your firefox issue was created because you need to install it first:. Use these commands to install it.
tar -xzvf firefox-1.0.installer.tar.gz
cd firefox-installer
./firefox-installer

For more firefox questions consult the faq http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/faq
 
This did the same thing my previous attempts did. What I want to do is create a way to launch FireFox from the desktop or from the start menu by clicking star/internet/web browsers/firefox(which isn't there yet). I'm running KDE 3.2 if it matters.
 
No, I wouldn't trust an RPM for another system. Ideally it should work fine, but there are too many differences between the distros.

I can't imagine that Mandrake doesn't ship Firefox, have you poked around their software installation tools?
 
I assumed because it didn't show up on the installation CD's when I installed it, that it just wasn't there. I'll do some more looking around and see what I can come up with.
 
I thought there was a Software/Package installer on Mandrake. I had 10.0 and it had that, but it didn't have firefox, but back then it was only something like version 0.8.
 
If Firefox isn't included I would say dump Mandrake, well I would say that anyway but that's beside the point.
 
If it wasn't included in the default set of packages then you'd usually find a good online repository and point your package manager to it. So instead of searching the cds for packages it looks at a similar system online. Then everything gets updated too.
 
This thread is a prime example why I've dumped Linux several times.

THIS QUESTION SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE ASKED !!!!!!!!!

EOT

 
Originally posted by: Churnd
Originally posted by: silverpig
Try this
Click to expand...

Worked like a charm. Thanks again.

Oh yeah... if Linux were as easy as Windows, it wouldn't be any fun. 🙂
Click to expand...

It is as easy as Windows. Give it time. I had issues using Windows for a while after using a unix-like system for a while.
 
Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Originally posted by: Churnd
Originally posted by: silverpig
Try this
Click to expand...

Worked like a charm. Thanks again.

Oh yeah... if Linux were as easy as Windows, it wouldn't be any fun. 🙂
Click to expand...

It is as easy as Windows. Give it time. I had issues using Windows for a while after using a unix-like system for a while.
Click to expand...


Oh I will. I can feel the addiction creeping up on me. My next project is gonna be to learn how to configure LILO to where I can boot to a SuSE installation also.
 
It is as easy as Windows. Give it time. I had issues using Windows for a while after using a unix-like system for a while.
Click to expand...

Actually it's easier, I get frustrated every time I have to do something on Windows now.
 
You could jsut get in KDE and right click>Create Shortcut>name it>go to directory where firefox is and set it to go to the execution you hit to get it running.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top