New to Linux, having trouble installing applications.

blackout87gn · #1 3rd October 2009, 02:49 AM

Hi I'm brand spanking new to anything Linux based. I just installed Fedora 11 on my Sony Vaio laptop. I couldn't stand Windows Vista any longer. I installed Fedora 11 just fine with no issues. But I seem to be having trouble installing programs such as Adobe Flash Player, Reader, Limewire, Java pluggin, etc. Everytime I try to install these, it says for example "Could not display "/home/blackout87gn/Download/jre-6u16-linux-i586-rpm.bin". This was for the Java file I downloaded. I made sure that all these files I downloaded were for Linux. So being the newb that I am, can someone point me in the right direction on how to install these applications? Also what does .rpm .bin .deb and .tar.gz represent?

scottro · #2 3rd October 2009, 03:40 AM

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

Ok, the silly question--how did you try to install java, just by clicking on it? Sometimes, the GUI (Graphic User Interface) pacakge installers work perfectly, other times you'll have to type some commands in the terminal. Now, as I recall--oh, never mind, let me look at the instructions.

Hold on.....

Ah, that's what I thought. So, you have a file, for ease of typing, I'll call it java.rpm.bin

So,

chmod 755 java.rpm.bin

(You've just made executable, that is, able to be run as a program.)

./java.rpm.bin

Note the / and the period in front of the command. That means run it in the current directory, that is, the place to which it's downloaded.

This will do some things, basically, creating rpm files.

Once this is done, change to root

su

Now, install the rpm

rpm -ivh java.rpm

(You'll see that after you ran the ./java.rpm.bin command, that when it's done you'll have rpm files.)

***Hlingler*** · #3 3rd October 2009, 04:13 AM

Quote:

I seem to be having trouble installing programs such as Adobe Flash Player, Reader, Limewire, Java pluggin, etc.

So go fetch Dangermouse's 'AutoTen' for F11, or Duli's EasyLife script, to install all the extras and goodies for you in one painless shot. Find both of these handy utilities 'stickied' in the "Guides and Solutions" section.

V

P.S. Adobe has their own YUM repository for flash-player and Acrobat Reader.

rossman_2 · #4 3rd October 2009, 04:27 AM

If you are using the 64-bit Fedora you are probably using 64-bit firefox. The catch with the 64-bit firefox is that there is no official flash plugin for it. The system will let you install the plugin from the 32-bit repo, but firefox won't recognize it. You have to download the 64-bit pluging, un-tar/gunzip it and put it in the proper directory. You can download the plugin at the following link:

http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/flashplayer10.html

After you download it, unpackage it with the following command:

tar xvzf flash-plugin-name.tar.gz

Take the resultant file, which should be "libflashplayer.so", and, as root, copy it into "/usr/lib64/mozilla/plugins". Then restart firefox.

FYI, if you're new to Linux, this is one of the very few special cases you'll have to deal with. Most things, at least with Fedora, are usually pretty consistent and easy to use. 99% of the time you would probably just add and remove things like this from the package manager GUI.

paulcscheung · #5 3rd October 2009, 04:34 AM

I am new to Fedora too, I found Mauriat Miranda's Personal Guide is very helpful too. I just install the one I needed.
Here is a good reading on how to install software in Linux, http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/lin.../64958-how-ins

blackout87gn · #6 3rd October 2009, 04:34 AM

I'm pretty sure I have the 32-bit version of F11. I'll take a look at those apps in the utilities section. I'm not sure I'm ready to be installing everything manually in the terminal window yet

I'll post updates in a bit.

***Hlingler*** · #7 3rd October 2009, 04:45 AM

Leigh has also built an "unofficial" but current 64-bit flash-player RPM (stickied in the "x86 64-bit" section), but I'm not sure if it's included in AutoTen. He may (or may not) host it in his 'Compiz-Fusion' repo.

V

troyatlarge · #8 3rd October 2009, 05:30 AM

I got sick of Microsoft too, years ago, and that is how I took the chance on Linux too - by all means, Welcome!

If your band new I would suggest a couple of things, one, bookmark the following link and make use of it: http://www.fedoraguide.info/index.php?title=Main_Page

Second, it may seem strange coming from a modern Microsoft system, but you will be wanting to become friends with the terminal. You may as well get a short-cut to it on your panel or desktop right now. You get it by going to Applications>System Tools>Terminal (right click and you can add it to your panel)

The first use of your terminal, in the way I think, is to use it to update your computer instead of having your automatic system do it for you - its a good way to start and you get to watch a little about your updates as well. You would do well to turn your auto-updates off (if your not sure how, simply ask).

Last, if you want to get ahead start on the terminal, sort of get your footing, then you might try the following, very well written book via this link (its free and on-line): http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html.gz Please note, however, that the book is older so not all things he states in it work in the terminal because of all the updates from then until now, but still, most of it does still work and you will get the idea - all the same, those questions which your not sure of, the people here seem to be great at answering, especially the seasoned people (of which I am not one).

I hope that is somehow of some help!

blackout87gn · #9 4th October 2009, 02:59 AM

OK I thought I installed Java and Flash Player via yum but when I go to youtube, it says it cannot locate a flash or java pluggin. When I was in the terminal, I became the "root" user and typed in "yum install adobe flash player" and "yum install java". It looked like it was downloading and installing properly but I guess not. I also installed the Easy Life app and it changed a few things on my system for the better. I would really like to get these pluggins installed.

***Hlingler*** · #10 4th October 2009, 03:46 AM

You have to restart any open web browsers after installing plug-ins.

V

December · #11 4th October 2009, 04:18 AM

With Java and Flash there is not much alternative, but for Adobe Reader, unless you have a very specific reason for needing it, don't bother trying to install it. Fedora comes with a couple of great PDF viewers, my personal favourite being Okular, which should already be installed on your system if you chose KDE, if not you could try evince (called 'Document Viewer' in Fedora).

the open source viewers even have plugins for your browser, so you can view PDFs there.

For most things, you will find Fedora has good alternatives for common Windows programs often already installed.