I HATE Linux now

[kopete]

I freaking hate Linux now. I hate that Linux users are such snobs. But, most of all, I hate when people say that Linux is easier than Windows or turn on people who are trying out Linux.

I have an example that is infuriating. I am trying to untar/extract a .bz2 file. Okay, I know a little: I assume it is something like this:

tar xvjf filename.tar.bz2

Okay, I'll omit some details (like where to do it or whatever) but then there is more:

./configure
make
su
make install

./CONFIGURE?!?!!?!?!?!? WTF is that?!? I have not found any 'how to' or explanation of what that is. It is not working. I receive:
bash: configure: command not found

Try googling that. There is nothing on it.

Linux sucks goats. Windows is crap, too. There is no choice.

[Geeth]

Have you thought of looking for a readme or install file in the directory after it's extracted?

Or looking for documentation on the programs site?

But hey if you don't like it... No one is forcing you to use it.

[kopete]

Of course, I have looked. But, it's the internet. There's several writeups that are slightly different than what you're doing or they don't really work or whatever.

No one is forcing me but the alternatives suck in their own way.

[jayd512]

I think what Geeth was referring to was the readme file that is in the actual file that you are trying to 'un-tar'. It's far more specific than the articles that you'll find by googling anything.

[Cabhan]

First off, I have met many Linux users. Some are extremely passionate to the point of dissing anyone who doesn't like or use Linux. Most just want Linux to be as good as it can be, so that anyone who wants to use it can.

Second off: Linux is different from Windows. It doesn't matter how much you know about Windows, when you start with Linux, it's like you've never used a computer before.

Your difficulties are not uncommon. Many people have trouble installing a package from source. But before you start insulting US, maybe you should try asking for help if you can't find it on your own.

After you untarred the tarball, you will have created a directory. Inside of that directory is usually a file called README with further instructions. There is also sometimes a file called INSTALL, which is specifically about installing the program.

Anyway, once inside of this directory, you need to run the configure script. To do this, you run "./configure", not just "configure". The "./" means "look in the current directory", and therefore it won't search for a command in your $PATH, but rather a script in a known location.

The configure script sets up a Makefile with a bunch of different options and information about your system.

The Makefile is used by a program called make to automatically compile the different source files in the project. To use it, you just run "make". Wait for it to finish.

Once finished, you need to install the program by copying the executables to locations in your $PATH. However, to do this, you need to have root privileges. The "su" command will ask for the root password and then change you into the root user ("su" stands for "switch user", and if you don't specify a user, it is assumed to be root). Now you run "make install", and make will move the executables to the right locations.

On some systems (notably Ubuntu), they do not use "su". Rather, you prefix the command with "sudo" (e.g. "sudo make install"). It will ask you for the user password (note the root one), and will run the command as though it was run by root.


Also note that you should not generally have to install things from source. Almost every distro has a package manager which will let you install things much more easily. In Ubuntu, it is called Synaptic (it's actually called Apt, but Synaptic is a frontend for Apt).


This forum, and many others, are here to help. If you don't want to use Linux, that's great. Most of us don't really care. But if you do, you can at least be respectful rather than having a temper tantrum.

[kopete]

After you untarred the tarball, you will have created a directory. Inside of that directory is usually a file called README with further instructions. There is also sometimes a file called INSTALL, which is specifically about installing the program.

Anyway, once inside of this directory, you need to run the configure script. To do this, you run "./configure", not just "configure". The "./" means "look in the current directory", and therefore it won't search for a command in your $PATH, but rather a script in a known location.

The configure script sets up a Makefile with a bunch of different options and information about your system.

The Makefile is used by a program called make to automatically compile the different source files in the project. To use it, you just run "make". Wait for it to finish.

Once finished, you need to install the program by copying the executables to locations in your $PATH. However, to do this, you need to have root privileges. The "su" command will ask for the root password and then change you into the root user ("su" stands for "switch user", and if you don't specify a user, it is assumed to be root). Now you run "make install", and make will move the executables to the right locations.

On some systems (notably Ubuntu), they do not use "su". Rather, you prefix the command with "sudo" (e.g. "sudo make install"). It will ask you for the user password (note the root one), and will run the command as though it was run by root.
.

Those were helpful comments and very good explanation. But, if you go up to my original post, I did have: ./configure.

No matter what, my output is:
$ ./configure
bash: ./configure: No such file or directory


Trust me, the readme.txt file that is included is useless. There is nothing there - reminds one of Windows.

[Geeth]

what distro are you on and what program is it?

[Cabhan]

The error message you posted in your first post is what you get if you type "configure", which is why I assumed you had not:

tanya:~ alex$ configure
-bash: configure: command not found
tanya:~ alex$ ./configure
-bash: ./configure: No such file or directory

Are you certain that you changed directory into the newly untarred one? If the readme says to run ./configure, it should be there.

But Geeth's question would be rather helpful as well.

[Manchunian]

Hello,

Your comments (minus the ones about Linux users) remind me of myself when I first started using Linux. Why does it have to be so complicated? Well, I was doing two things wrong: 1) I was expecting Linux to be like Windows and 2) I didn't ask for help. This last was important, but I'm a stubborn git. In the end I understood, but it was only when I became couragous enough to begin learning computers again, from scratch. I now love Linux and try to help others in my own small way to get past the initial problems I suffered from. Please don't assume that we are all high-headed snobs; we're not. But we are all sure of one thing: Linux is better than Windows, much better than Windows, and some of us get infuriated when people say things like "Linuw is crap" when they haven't given it enough time: "things aren't happening like I expect, so it's crap".
Now, I'm going to go off in a different direction to Cabhan. It's very unlikely that you actually need to go through the process of compiling software yourself (I harndly ever do this). I can see what you've done because I did it too when I first started out. You want a program, say VLC, you've Googled it, gone to a site where the Linux ".exe" can be found, you've downloaded it and you expect to install it with a double-click. You're probably also expecting to have to accept the contract, the one that tells you that you have no rights at all, press next, next, next...then maybe restart your computer. This is not Linux! Linux is much easier, much, much easier. Here's what you do: Open Synaptic (if you're using a Debian-based distro), type the name of the program you want, confirm and sit back while the program and all it's dependancies are downloaded and installed. When there's an update, Synpatic will look after it for you. What could be simpler than that? However, we need to know what program you want to install and what Linux distro you're using as Synaptic (or whatever package manager your distro uses) will need to be configured. Can you tell us that, please, so that we can help you further?

[bigtomrodney]

I freaking hate Linux now. I hate that Linux users are such snobs.

I resent that comment.

I have a strong dislike of people who won't ask for help and point blame out at others when they fail.

When approaching problems it's best to stay goal focussed, not task. While you are busy scratching your head over building from source, the chances are it isn't necessary at all. You have given very little information as to what it is you are trying to install. You could be trying to install static binaries for Firefox all we know, which don't require any building.

So with that in mind, you've left us all blind as to what your real problem is so no one can help you. Yet we have all to listen to you rant about how Linux is stupid and we are all snobs. Can you put yourself in our shoes for a minute and see how that might feel?