Linux Tutorial, Installing Programs?

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Trenchant
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Linux Tutorial, Installing Programs?

Post by Trenchant »

Does anyone know where I could find a good linux tutorial on installing programs? I have an old test server and I'm trying to fiddle around with it.(its got fedora core 3)

I noticed that installing programs isn't as easy as it is on windows :lol:

Anyone know of a good tutorial?
timvw
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Post by timvw »

nah, it's easier than in windows :)


I believe most people use something like debian's apt-get.
For Red Hat/Fedora you have to search for "Dag Wiers" i know he's busy on apt 4 rpm and yum.
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Trenchant
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Post by Trenchant »

I did try yum once. It was kinda confusing. It said it was installing and it threw files everywhere. at the time I was installing UnrealIRCd. I could never figure out what yum did with everything.

Any guides on installing manually? Like downloading the program and installing it?
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Post by timvw »

virtually every program/release has a README and an INSTALL file.

usually it's something like (but this can be found in every basic tutorial)

wget http://example/source.tgz
tar -xzf source.tgz
configure
make
su -
make install
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Trenchant
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Post by Trenchant »

In the config file for the program I was trying it said to type /config I think it was. I could never get that to work. I tried it in terminal but no luck. I finally just ran the config file and that got partially through installation but I had no idea what anything was for or even how to start the process...

As you may have noticed I dont normally use linux. I normally hire people to do it for me.
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Post by timvw »

usually you are in the same directory as where the configure script resides... and most of the times . is not in the default path.

so you have to type ./configure instead of configure :)

i don't know if you are planning to learn what you are doing, or keep paying people that have learned it to do for you, but at http://www.amath.washington.edu/~lf/tut ... l_toc.html
you can find a quite extensive manual :) (i guess you only need the section on how people will use the distributed code)

i remember when i started with linux 7 years ago it was impossible to understand everything. but i had that same feeling when i started using windows95 2years before.... In the end it's just a matter of habit...
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Trenchant
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Post by Trenchant »

sorry I should have stated this before. I am interested in learning how to work better with linux. Its easy to write off something to someone else. But If I do that I know that I wont be going anywhere and Web Dummy IS will grow a lot slower because costs would be higher.

Of course I know for a fact it will be a long time before I stop hiring linux technitions but I would rather it happen sometime than never.

I'll look into that manual. Thanks.

If anyone else knows of any good manauls please post them here to.

Could a moderator or admin start a topic on linux tutorials and just have links to other manuals/tutorials? That would be great, I know people are busy but it would help me and probably many others.
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Chris Corbyn
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Post by Chris Corbyn »

If you get the RPM (Red Hat Package Manager) installer installed ok then you can just download .rpm files which will install much like a .msi on a Windows Box.

Installing stuff you have to compile is pretty straightforward once you've done it a few time too.

Just extract the files and look at the INSTALL file to get the instructions.

Usually just in a console (as super user):
./configure [--options]
make
make install
If my memory serves me correctly.
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Trenchant
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Post by Trenchant »

okay, I'll load up the program on a floppy or CD and try and install it on my test server if I can tonight.
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Pyrite
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Post by Pyrite »

Since you are using Redhat, you can use RPM's (Redhat Package Management).

Code: Select all

rpm -I someprogram.rpm (Install)
rpm -U someprogram.rpm (Upgrade)
rpm -E someprogram.rpm (Erase)
Do a "man rpm" at a terminal to read more about rpms.
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