new to linux plz help

[Kevbodian]

Hey everyone. I am new to Linux. Really new. I know how to navigate with the terminal.

When installing apps where should they reside? Windows always went into c:\program files\

rpm's act like '.reg' files in windows... dbl click and it does the rest.

i have been trying to run the rpm for aMsn that I got from a link on this forum but everytime I try to load it, it says unable to run due to bzip2-devel being unsatisfied or something. I downloaded this file <bzip2-1.0.2-19mdk.src.rpm> but when I run it the window just disappears and seems like nothing happens. (btw i am running mandrake 10.1).

I installed the TCL/CL or whatever its called from the package installer using one of my install CDs. However, I am still unable to use 'wish'.

any help is great,
thanks,
Kevin

[Kevbodian]

to use wish do I have to modify my PATH setting?

im so new I dont even know what i said....

aside from the fact that im having trouble getting used to all this command line stuff... linux is so much sexier than winbl0z

[loft306]

Try GAIM it dose msn and aim and yahoo..and alot more.....
http://gaim.sourceforge.net/downloads.php << rpm's

and as far as the rpm goes try d/l'ng the rpm again from a diffrent source

er... i just googled that rpm and it seems alot af ppl are having problems with it


P.S. you can edit your post instead of posting a 2nd one

[Kevbodian]

it seems like every rpm i get from the web it says something is unsatisfied... should I re-install my linux with all the packages?

the gaim rpm worked, however, but I dont know how to open it. it is not in INTERNET > INSTANT MESSAGING>KOPETe is only there

thanks

[Chris H]

Go here http://easyurpmi.zarb.org/ and set up your software sources.

Then add it via the mandrake control panel package manager from the list of software in the sources. Pretty sure amsn is in the list somewhere.

[Stormblazer]

You can always just goto "Run..." and enter "gaim"
Linux stuff is installed in a completely different manner/way on Linux than on Windows. There's really very few equivalents to windows other than for types of applications... The core layout is just totally different.
RPMs are simply prepackaged binaries (like installers on Windows) for RPM-based distros (like Redhat/Fedora Core, Mandrake, etc.)
Debian uses .deb packages, Slackware uses slp packages (i think).
Gentoo installs stuff from source. You get the idea.

You should probably just use a package manager to install stuff like that, I think you can use yum on mandrake.