install software

[jpbroad1970]

hi all just registered so i am a newbie

stuck pulling my hair out and getting old v quickly so i am hoping someone can help me.i am trying to install programs on a cnm minibook running linux i have tried may times to install a tar.gz file but oh my i am going wrong somewhere .do i need to install from the root window or what?i am so confused.....i am an experienced windows user but i know i have to put all that to the back of my head and start a fresh i just need an idiot proof guide as once i have done it once i am sure i will be able to do it again..i have read so many guides even the one here but im lost

thanks in advance

john

[oz]

Welcome to the forums!

You can check this HowTo for installing software under Linux:

http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/lin...are-linux.html

It's generally best to use the default package tool for your particular distribution whenever possible. Otherwise, the aboe HowTo should get you going.

[rokytnji]

Howdy jpbroad1970, Keep the hair and state what distro and version of distro you are using . Also what program you are trying to install. That way some of us members can tell you if you can get it through your distros package manager like Ozar advised.

[jpbroad1970]

how do i find what distro i am using it just says V70 on the boot screen im just bamboozled

[jpbroad1970]

i got out the root uname 2.4.20-celfs

[jpbroad1970]

the program i am trying to install is dans guardian

[oz]

from what i can tell here, your minibook runs on debian, which means you should be able to use apt to install packages.

if not already installed, you might find it easier to install and use synaptic to install software rather than use the command line since synaptic is a very user friendly front end for apt.

[jpbroad1970]

i must be really thick ...lol

how do i create a root directory to save a program to so as i can install it from there i can go to a root user page but that just opens up what looks like a dos window and i dont know what to do from there

i can open a comand window from the decktop page but if i type ./configure or anything in there it disapears and nothing happensi must be doing something wrong as it should all be so simple as you have explained

i am sorry for my ignorrance

[jpbroad1970]

i believe i am running debian on my cnm minibook

i must be really thick ...lol

how do i create a root directory to save a program to so as i can install it from there i can go to a root user page but that just opens up what looks like a dos window and i dont know what to do from there

i can open a comand window from the decktop page but if i type ./configure or anything in there it disapears and nothing happensi must be doing something wrong as it should all be so simple as you have explained

i am sorry for my ignorrance

[Bemk]

If you want to install software, I think compiling software is something a newbie doesn't want to do. You would be better of using your software repositories. I know Debian has quite a large one, filled with Debian packages waiting for you to install them.

The code you'd want to preform I suppose is:

su

Give your root password, because you are going to log in as root

apt-get install dansguardian && exit

and there you are, with an installed application, ready to be configured/used.

Apt-get installs the package and exit lets you ext the root shell.

I already looked in the repositories for you and it's there, so you can just go and install it. If you aren't familiar with apt or synaptic, I think that I should tell you how you have to update your system.

The code for that is:

apt-get update && apt-get upgrade

The update argument means that the system is going to download a new list, and upgrade means you are going to update the applications on your system.This should also be done from root. Be careful with root because it can break your system (not much fun when you erase your entire file system!), don't say I didn't warn you when you do break your system. Only use root when absolutely necessary! (I don't know whether or not Debian supports sudo, but if it does, and I find out I'll tell you how to work with that as well)