"Kortoom" <tomlombardo@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:792b0fd5.0308102219.139add88@posting.google.c om...
> I'm using RedHat Linux 8.0, KDE 3.0.3-8, and Konqueror 3.0.3-13 on my
> laptop now, having abandoned everything Microsoft.
>
> I don't understand how to install an application. I want to get
> StarOffice from Sun, but I can't even install and run their little
> free download manager. I can unzip their file, but I don't know how
> to "run" the file they indicate for installation, nor do I really
> understand how to install an application without a Microsoft-like,
> idiot proof wizard. I can't get a straight answer out of my RedHat
> Linux Bible (which looks like it ought to gave everything in it).
>
> How do you "run" a file like "sdm.sh" or "sdm.bat" to install an
> application? Assuming the install works, how do you know where the
> application is, or how to run it?

I figured you might want a non-Jerk comment. If the linux community is ever
going to grow, people need to be nicer to the new guys.

Many times, applications will come with a Readme file that will explain
detailed instructions on how to install it. Read through this file, and
follow all the instructions. Other times, you'll see an install.sh file or
some other script that will install it automatically. To execute this, open
up a terminal, navigate to the directory you have it stored in, and:
$ ./install.sh

Commands in linux work much like DOS/Windows as far as executing. You merely
type the filename in to execute. The only difference here is that you're
telling it to look in the current directory (./) for the file install.sh,
and then execute it. To execute a file in your home directory, it would be
~/ instead of ./ and for a file in the directory below it would be ../

So, this will get you started. You may open up an editor to see what the
install script is doing. Type "pico install.sh", where install.sh is the
correct script. You can see what is actually going on.

As far as where it's stored, it doesn't really matter, so long as you set
your path to there. Common places are /bin/ and /usr/bin/. System-related
files are in /sbin/ and /usr/sbin/. You'll pick up more as time goes on. To
know exactly where the files installed, check out the manual pages ("man
<programname>") and see if it lists it there. If not, then check out the
documentation or readme file, or even the website.

It's actually more intuitive than Windows as you will be able to tell. All
you have to do is execute a script, it does the rest. Eventually, you'll
want to pass options to the install, or edit the script to suit your own
needs. For now, just run it like it is.

Good luck!