Installing and Updating software

[metallicafan]

I just started running Suse 9.2 on a second partition along with my windows partition. I was wondering what directory I should install programs to. For instance if I download Firefox or some other program where should I put the source code? /bin ?

Secondly, I want to update my version of Vim from 6.3.23 to the current version which is like 6.3.71 or something close to that. I ahve been to vim.org and have found the patches but where do i install them? Can anyone tell me where the vim directory is? I have looked around but without much success. Thanks.

[lakerdonald]

It doesn't matter where you put the source code to something that you compile, it all ends up in the same place(s) after installed.

[tp671]

Check this article out, you should be able to get all the programs you need like this.

http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/feature/11504.html

[metallicafan]

It doesn't matter where you put the source code to something that you compile, it all ends up in the same place(s) after installed.

and where is that? Like if I install Firefox where will the program directory be put? or is it different for every program? Is there a standard location for this like Window's Program Files folder?


tp671 - thanks a lot. I am gonna try that. it seems very user friendly.

[serz]

They're put in different places, programs, docs, config files, they all go to different places.

If you have installed a package this can easily be removed, now.. if it's something you have compiled you can try make uninstall if you still have the source. For compiling and have for sure an easy uninstall of what you've compiled, I recommend "mku" or "checkinstall" (look for them at Freshmeat.

[metallicafan]

I think some people misunderstood my question.

For example I just installed firefox. During the setup it asked me where i wanted to install the program. The default was /home/userid so I just left it there. Should I have installed it in like /usr/bin or something?

How do I get it so that Firefox is in my "Start" menu under applications or on my taskbar? How can I make it so that other users can use firefox?

Thanks again.