New to Linux, Easy question to answer

[Wrk592]

Trying to install python 3.1.2.... i downloaded it and i need to type something into the terminal (Mint 9) to install it.. I'm unsure of what i need to type. the path to the install is home/will/downloads/python3.1.2/install-sh

thank you.

[meton_magis]

are you unable to install python from the package manager? I think it's synaptic for ubuntu.

[kados]

in terminal just navigate to the location of the file then type

sudo sh ./filename

I think?

[elija]

As meton_magis said, try the package manager. It will download the software from a trusted source and install it for you. The only reason not to use a package manager is if the software you want isn't in there. In the Ubuntu and therefore Mint repositories this is going to be pretty rare. Being new to Linux and particularly if you are used to Windows, your instinct will be to download your software from the Internet and the repository way will seem alien and strange. You will come to love it over time.

Now that's the lecture out the way and if you must install your downloaded software. In this case you would open a terminal and run the following commands

cd downloads/python3.1.2 (You may need Downloads instead as paths in Linux are case sensitive)

chmod +x install.sh (This makes the script executable)

sudo ./install.sh (This runs it as root and you will need your password.)

If you are only going to install into your home directory, you won't need to use sudo.

[meton_magis]

Being new to Linux and particularly if you are used to Windows, your instinct will be to download your software from the Internet and the repository way will seem alien and strange. You will come to love it over time.

I think that package managers are the key thing that most "experts" miss when trying to determine why linux has remained so safe from malware. It's not obscurity that keeps us safe, it is that the great majority of people download from the distro's repositories, and nowhere else (for binary files, pictures and videos are another matter, but can't execute code.)

If a person never has to go out into the web to find software, the risk of installing and running a virus go down drastically.