how do i install programs on linx?

[thomasd1]

coming from windows, i havta say linux is really ... weird with installing programs on it
in windows it all goes "automatic" ...
some starting points on installing ... programs would be nice

thanks

[bignester]

It really depends on weather you want to install using rpm's or some other package, or if you want to compile from source. If your compiling from source which is what I usually do than here is the procedure.

unpack the source code into some directory. I usually use the tmp directory.

then you go inside the new directory and here is the series of commands in order.

bash:~$ ./configure
bash:~$ make

now you have to become root user.

bash:~$ make install

But before you do this you need to read the README to make sure you have all of the dependencies.

also what distro are you using.

As for starting points go to either www.freshmeat.net or www.sourceforge.net that is usually where I get most of my programs that I run.

Just a side not sometimes programms come with a installer program for example Openoffice.[/url]

[Hellmasker]

coming from windows the easiest way to isntall things is probably to use rpms. (stands for Redhat package management)

to install from one of these files, make sure it is binary (.ix86.rpm)and not source (.src.rpm)

then click it in kde/gnome and it will install

or to do soem mroe fancy thigsn wiht it (liek updating already isntalle dsoftware or removing it. use a terminal and type these things

rpm -Uvh packagename.rpm

<----this will install a program if it is new or update it if its already isntalled

rpm -qa | grep -i partialPackageName

<--- use this to fidn the name or even if a package is installed. (to get version umbers or something) eg if u replaced the last bit with the letter a, it would list all the packages installed that contain an a

rpm -e packageName

this will remove/(e)rase a program.

to fidn out more stuff (liek how to list files contained, or what packages are required for proper function) type

rpm --help | less

[thomasd1]

ok so i got redhat 9 and
i clicked an rpm thingie (the one from mplayer)
and something flashed up, i could read something about updating or something...
it closed so fast i couldn't read it
so i tried to update linux, but when i try to registrate to get a key i always get an error...

[Dillinger]

http://www.linuxforums.org/viewtopic...ghlight=#21522

[Dolda2000]

For some unfathomable reason, the MPlayer guys decided it would be fun to have some circular dependencies in their packets, so you can't install them from the graphical shell.
What are the files that you're trying to install?

[thomasd1]

What are the files that you're trying to install?

heh? just mplayer, i think ...

[xylex_blaiste]

hehehe.. . welcome to the club!

but you'll get used to it! it took me a lot of hours finding and downloading the right dependencies for this app - mplayer - and another half hour or so to compile it ( ey, i only got .750Ghz running in my box ). it takes a lot of patience when it comes to installing programs in linux. but that's better than having to reboot everytime after an install, or just because the install went all wrong, or just because the OS is so unstable and all ( you know what OS i'm talking about ). in the long run, i thought it's fun installing, compiling and all... let's you do something than stare at a BSOD!

ok, i'm not helping here. hehe.. . i just wanna say something...

[Dolda2000]

For MPlayer, you need at least three RPMs. All in all, I think it's almost easier and certainly better to just compile it from source instead of using RPMs. When I have installed it from RPM (not on my computer), these are the RPMs that I have installed:
mplayer-common
mplayer
mplayer-gui
mplayer-skin-default

Then I add on a CODEC package as well:
mplayer-codecs-extralite

Check out http://greysector.rangers.eu.org/mplayer.html. It describes pretty much how to install it.

[Hellmasker]

go to a terminal, type "rpm -Uvh mplayer-1.0....whatever"
it will quite happily list of the multiple dependencies u need.