software installation on linux

I am not experienced in linux as much as I do in windows. I just installed suse few days ago kicking off mandrake influenced by GORE's words on which version of liux to use. I am quite happy as well and when I configure it looks as good as windows XP.

Question here is it's very hard to install anything on linux. I have heard rpm and debian package manager but I don't know how the hell i statrt. Even to install simple fonts or things which is very easy on windows is pain in the ass in Linux.

Is there any simple way to install anyhing on linux?If there are standerd commands? What is the reason of packaging the software?

RPM's usually just install themselves. Much like any windows application you just click on the icon and let yast do the rest, it will install it all automatically.

When I started using SuSE it downloaded loads of tar.gz files and it took me about 3 weeks to learn how to open them.

Here is how I do it, it may not be the correct way but it works for me.

Say ive downloaded the file nokia1.2.3.4.tar.gz and saved it in a directory called windows.

I would "cd" to the windows directory then type:

tar-xvfz nokia1.2.3.4.tar.gz

It then extracts all the files in to a new folder called nokia1.2.3.4

Then I go to the nokia folder and look for a file called install and read what it says and this will tell you the command needed to install the program.

Usually they are ( when in the program folder)

./configure
make
make install

Most of what ive downloads for SuSE has been in the tar.gz format, so it may be handy to know.

I think tar is similar to a zipped file?!?

I havent come accross any others yet, thank god!

Other formats include:

bzip2 <--- use bunzip2 to decompress and then tar to untar
bin <--- often used by Adobe this file just needs to be chmod'd to have execute and the file can be run.
rpm <-- main stay of RH but can be found elsewhere as well. rpm -ivh filename.rpm

I don't think tar == zip. The concept is different, originally for tape back up and archiving. The gunzip (gz) is more the compression tool, IIRC.

Oh, So it's so different than windows thanks nokia and ms mittens. I read the same info while googling but feeling too complicated and lazy to do all this. I am just 'click next' lover. I do it most of the time on windows without caring which folder file goes.

I am stuck here/ I am wondering If I will go along with all this

Quote:

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I am wondering If I will go along with all this

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Oh sure you will. You just have to be persistent and not stress too much if things don't go well. When you were born you didn't know how to speak, write or walk. You've learned all of those and they are far more complicated than computer systems. ;)

The best thing for you to do is read. Here's a start:
http://www.linux.org/lessons/beginner/toc.html

Noo its not, the best thing to do is sack it and use Windows Millenium :-)