i am new to linux and mepis.... how do i ???

[blitzburgh39]

How do I install programs?? lol i am sorry i am a noob at linux. i got the terminal thing down.. like using cd to switch directories.. and other commands... thanks!

[oz]

Welcome to the forums!

If you want to use the command line, you can use apt to install software with the apt-get command.

Otherwise, you can install Synaptic if it's not already installed and use its GUI interface. It's really only a frontend for apt.

Also, check out this link for other ways to install software under Linux.

Have fun working with Linux!

[blitzburgh39]

That was fast! Thanks for the links.. But i just made the directory: /usr/local/src/ and i put a tar.gz in there and when i try to unzip it like this "tar -zxvf <program here> it says this: "bash: syntax error near unexpected token `newline'"

Anybody?

[oz]

I'd highly recommend using apt-get or synaptic for installing all software packages if they are available in your distribution repositories because they will automatically take care of any dependencies, and make package removal much easier if it's ever needed.

Installing from source (tarball) is definitely the more problematic route for most new users.

[blitzburgh39]

configure: error: C compiler cannot create executables


that comes up in the terminal whenever i use "./configure"

[blitzburgh39]

I was trying to install RPM..... can i even do that?

[oz]

You don't want to do that.

Debian based distros use .deb packages rather than RPMs.

[blitzburgh39]

What do you mean? i thought that would be easier so i can just download RPMs and install them instead of those tarballs

[oz]

Check this wiki page for detailed steps on installing software under Mepis.

I wouldn't advise mixing packages from other distributions with your "clean" Mepis installation.

[blitzburgh39]

What if i want to install Limewire... or AIM.. i know there is GAIM but what if i want aim? do i just go to limewire.com and click install linux and then what? which one do i do. OK update: i just downloaded limewire.deb or whatever it is... and it installed... but how do i run these? do i go to /usr/bin/program name?