[lazer_viking]

I just installed Linux (debian distro) about 4 days ago. I don't really have a use for Linux, but I wanted to learn to use a diffrent operating system other than Windows fluently just for the experience. I don't want to be dependant on a GUI either, so I'm trying to lean everything I can about using Linux with only the command line.

My problem is: I've learned how to access a CD-rom drive, manipulate the files (I moved firefox tarball to a folder and extracted it) but my problem is actually executing the file. Do I have to install it in that special bin directory? I have it installed in /home/mike/Programs/. Is this not correct? When I try to $ exec firefox it doesn't work...

[macdude425]

Did you try to ./ it? And is the Linux tarball source or a precompiled program?

[lazer_viking]

I assume it's precompiled. Sorry I didn't say that this was Firefox. Is there a place with step by step instructions on installing and using Firefox? Maybe if I see the tutorial for one program I can figure anything else out. I didn't see a tutorial like that on Firefox's site.

[The General]

It's already installed.

If it's not, for whatever reason, then:

apt-get install firefox



And to use it:

firefox

[lazer_viking]

thats something i dont get... the apt-get... where does it download from? debian.org? does it have every single program ever created for linux under the sun? how can it know what firefox is? what if i wanted an older version? what i want to know is the mechanics behind installing and executing a program. if i use apt-get for everything i wont learn a thing and then where there is a program i want to install that debian.org doesn't have, im going to run into this same problem. how do i do it manually?

[The General]

You can compile them, unpack the tarball, cd to the directory and:

./configure

make && make install


OR you can get precompiled installers like http://earth.google.com

sh /path/to/googleearth.run (or .bin too)

[lazer_viking]

im totally lost. make &&? sh? ./configure? does the "." represent a variable for the filename? maybe i should just forget about linux lmao

[The General]

http://tiswww.tis.case.edu/~chet/bash/bashtop.html

[lazer_viking]

thank you! =D

[TheRecluse]

the apt-get repos only keep the newest stable versions of programs. so you'll have to compile older versions manually