HowTo install programs (?)

Forum: Apps
Topic: HowTo install programs (?)
started by: attilathepun

Posted by attilathepun on Oct. 27 2005,21:50

Sorry for the stupid question, but I couldn't find an answer to this just by browsing the old topics.
How do I install software (apps, not myDSL)? I would very much like to expand the functionality of my DSL box but, being new to Linux, don't know how to install. If someone would please take a minute to give basic instructions, that would be very much appreciated.

Posted by Your Fuzzy God on Oct. 27 2005,22:12

Really, it depends on what you want to install. The easiest way to install an app is to use the mydsl repository since the programs there have already been compiled for Damn Small Linux. The next easiest way would be to use apt-get (or the graphical version, Synaptic). To enable apt-get or Synaptic right click on the desktop-->Apps-->Tools-->Enable Apt *or* Synaptic and then search for the software package that you wish to install. If for some reason you don't find what you are looking for using those two options then you can search Google for the program you are looking for and download it in what is known as tarball form. These files are usually .tar.gz or .tgz files. These files contain the source code for the program and you must compile them on your computer manually. Compiling code can be very frustrating and has a HUGE learning curve.

If you wish to install a Window$ program, then you first need < Wine >. Wine duplicates a Window$ installation and can sometimes allow you to run a Window$ based program. I suggest checking out < this website > before trying any Wine installs.

I hope I answered your question,

Posted by durbnpoisn on Oct. 28 2005,13:58

Yeah, man... Compiling code in Linux is not easy at all. The first step is to make sure that you have all of the necessary libraries installed. In DSL, there is some development stuff there, but not nearly enough. Even with SuSE Linux it took me a while to find all the stuff I needed to really do anything worthwhile.

Hell, I'm not even sure where to go about getting all of the dependent libraries... I would imagine that each piece of software you'd want to install has a list of what you need. I guess you'd have to follow up on all of that first.

As was said, there is a huge learning curve there.

If you have an idea for a usefull piece of software that you'd like to see installed in DSL, you should probably post here in the forum and ask one of the real experts to compile it for you and post the working version. You'd probably have better success that way.