Install applications

[Guest pizxer]

Hey,

I have been using Windows for 20 years and just took the "plunge". I deleted my Windows and installed Mandriva 2008 on my laptop and I am surprised to find that when I go to install an app, I have to type in some code. It's rpm or something with a . or an / or a ./rpm/root..you know. It's some nonsense that isn't English. There are no executables. I can't even install Java wthout trying to read and type lines of code. Is there an easy way to do this? Can anybody help with this? Much appreciation in advance.

Piz

[{BBI}Nexus{BBI}]

No need to type in any code (unless you want to). Here is a nice starting point for you: http://wiki.mandriva.com/en/Docs/Basic_tas...moving_software and this one will help you to set up your Mandriva to (newbie) perfection: http://www.howtoforge.com/the_perfect_desk...mandriva_2008.0

Edited October 26, 2007 by {BBI}Nexus{BBI}

[Guest pizxer]

mmmkay. Thnanks soo much. I will try later!

[Mitchell]

mmmkay. Thnanks soo much. I will try later!

 

I know how you feel, I found myself in a similar boat about 6 months ago... or is it longer now? Anyway, it's very easy in the end, perhaps easier than Microsoft Windows really...

 

The two links given in the previous post will get you started, just remember if it seems too difficult it probably is; once I learned how to use it Mandriva is very easy to use... and keeps getting easier. A few important tips to remember:

 

1. You must always be root to install and uninstall software, by default. It is possible to change this graphically in Mandriva 2008.0, but I don't recommend it. While you can update your computer in 2008 as a regular user, (again by default) you need to have root privileges to install or uninstall anything else.

 

2. The easiest way to install software is from the rpm packages within the Mandriva repositories. Rpm's are like MS Windows executable files. They are packages which include information to install the software on your computer. There are other ways to install software on Linux, but this is by far the easiest. Keep in mind though that Rpm's for one distribution (Mandriva for instance) won't always work that well with another (Suse, Redhat, Debian), and you risk damaging parts of your system if you try. (of course I try, everyone does, but it's not recommended.) Once you set up your system with the Mandriva repositories, then there are literally thousands upon thousands of free software packages to download. While you can still install rpm packages by clicking on them (more or less) from the desktop (like MS Windows), then giving your root password when prompted, it's even easier using the rpm packages from the Mandriva Control Centre. Often when I search the web for a particular program, I can then find it in the Mandriva repositories.

 

3. www.tuxfiles.org

Highly recommend this website. It will cover all the basic stuff you need to know about working with Linux from the command line. Most of what's there can also be done graphically in Mandriva, but it's a great base to have. Often I've learned how to do things from the command line, then figured out graphically how to do it. For advanced workings with Linux, you'll need to have a basic understanding of the command line.

 

4. Don't be afraid to ask for help. This is a very friendly forum, with lots of people willing to help. I'm around, and having recently been in your shoes myself, am very happy to help another person who's switched from Microsoft. Good Luck!