install from tar file

[lchisholm]

I downloaded a tar file into download and tried to copy and paste it to /usr/local/src for further extracting and install.
says i don't have permission. I am using two windows on the destop to copy and paste as I have done in other systems.
any help would be appreciated
Larry

[Dies]

You need root access to write to /usr/local/src.

Just out of curiosity, which systems allow users to write there by default?

In any case, since you'll more than likely need to open a terminal to compile and install, I don't see the point in doing this step using a graphical file manager, but that's just me...

[lchisholm]

sorry about that. I had followed their commands and I had done a chown to my name on /usr/local/src and that had I think allowed me to copy and paste the file into that location.
Larry.

[forkbomb]

Wrong way to do it. /usr/local/src should be owned by root and have read and execute access for normal users. I'd chown it back to root.

Next time log in as root

su -

Change directory with cd and then untar it to /usr/local/src if you want it there.

If you're building an app from source code, it doesn't necessarily have to be put in the /usr/local/src directory. I typically just build in /home/myusername/build. When building from source with a typical ./configure, make, and make install tarball, ./configure and make are generally run as normal user, with make install run as root by necessity.

Best practice is to try to locate a decent rpm or search the existing repositories first, of course. Some folks advise building an rpm rather than installing through the normal configure/make/make install triad.

[jpollard]

Well, that depends. If it is a source directory then it may be a library. In that case
I would have a librarian account to hold it, and not root.

[lchisholm]

thank you for the information
what I was trying to do was take Thunderbird the latest release and install it.
it seems that every how to gets me so far and then when it gets into make after ./configure it fails or won't accept the command.
I was hoping that thunderbird may have fixed the password problem with Comcast.
years ago it wa a nice mail program but now its the pits. I guess its back to evolution.
thanks again for the tips.
Larry

[jpollard]

That won't fix the fact that Comcast refuses to use industry standards...

Evolution is using a MS format for password handling.. and I'm not familiar with
it. Thunderbird has been working for me for several years now.. but then, I
don't use Comcast, in part, due to its refusal to support any OS other than
Windows, with a little MacOS on the side...