beginners luck

I am very frustrated...I have spend days going through hundreds of Linux pages. I just don't get it. How do you use this operating system? Even the most basic questions like how to install a program has a bunch of technical terms and abbreviations in the answer, so I can't understand, am I supposed to go to an even MORE basic page to learn the lingo first???I have used windows and Mac but this Linux is a headache. I saw a woman begging for a clear answer to a question and the answers were so technical that she just gave up. So here comes my basic question. I just took a chance and bought this Aspire one, and got Linux Lite. Now the add program feature doesn't work cause there is a "resolving dependencies" conflict. In fact I cant install anything through that program manager thingie. So i tried to install a program Open Office via USB stick. Nothing happens when I click setup. Now my question is how the heck do you install anything on this netbook, or do I have to try to do that windows xp upgrade thing that hasn't worked for me yet either....Please help me for real and not answer "technobabble for linux users" PLEASE...I have been at this for a week and I am about to throw the darn thing out the window. Again the program manager which I am supposed to "go wild"with doesn't work for all the conflicts.

 

Hello from another Mac person ( Since Apple][ days ).

First things first, the One was designed to be a lightweight portable machine, running a browser, email, general word processing and spreadsheet work. It does all that from the standard menu items, and a a few other things.
There are loads of users who will never use Linpus in any way, they are the majority, we are not.

You actually got acers version of Linpus lite, it is different in many ways, not least the "simple" interface.
Open office is already installed, there is no need to load it from a USB stick.

If the system is damaged beyond sensible repair, then perform a system recovery from the CD - The "how to" notes are in the box. Note that Apple also use this method for drastic fixes.

My question to you : What do you want over and above the standard items?
I hope the list is not too long
One key point to note when installing applications is that not all linux software runs on all linux systems.

Lets try and get you out of the throwing it away mode.

 

unfortunatly, your troubles are not unfounded. I have used linux for over a year now, and that godamn add/remove programs is an awful piece of software. Ubuntu kicks this bullsh*t right in the nuts.

I'll try and give you a straight forward introduction to how programs are organized in the linux world.
-First off, you can't run neither windows executables nor mac's whatevers in linux. Linux has it's own thing going, you need to get software specifically for linux.
-You have multiple choices to install a program. You can download a package and install it with a double click on the icon. A package, like the name implies, contains the program. In windows you have installation files, stuff like "setup.exe", in linux it's packages.
Linpus (our "operating system")is a derivate of Fedora (another "operating system"), so if you're in a situation like this http://amarok.kde.org/wiki/Download you'd choose Fedora.
Fedora packages generally end with a .rpm,so if you're trying to install a package that ends otherwise (e.g .deb), it won't work.

-Another way of installing progams, which I normally use, is thru the command line. For instance, amarok (from the example I gave) doesn't supply a package for download, it gives you a command. I'll give you an explanation and you'll see just how pratical this is.

$ sudo yum install amarok amarok-extras-nonfree

Sudo gives you "super user" permissions, like an admnistrator if you must. Only a super user (or root user) can install programs.
Yum is a program that acts like a package manager, it allows to install, uninstall (i think) and search for other programs
Install is the action you want to do.
Amarok is the program you want to install, and "amarok" is the name of the package.
amarok-extras-nonfree is another package

If you wanted to install more programs, just keep adding package names to the right.

The add/remove programs application you were talking about is basically a graphic interface for Yum. Use whatever you like. In linux you are bound to at some point use the command line, that's why I gave the explanation. Just a head's up : -) if you know what you're doing, it's not that bad and can be very pratical.

Now probably it would be better if you gave the specifics of what you're trying to do, what programs you want to install etc.

Oh, and just to set the facts straight, there is a windows "emulator" that allows you to use windows programs. It's called wine, and works to some extent.

 

@ ceno

thank you for your explanation. I myself get dumbfounded at times reading through the explanations given by other gurus. There really should be linux for mega dummies like me

keep them coming :lol:

 

no problem man, if you have any questions I'll gladly answer them if I know how : -)

 

So say I download this amarok, and want to install it, where do i place the package so that yum will work.

or is double clicking the package just adding it to the list of installable packages, then yum can find it and install it?

Im not using Linpus right now, only OS X, but when I eventually get my new ZIF HDD, I will dual boot linpus and OS X, so I'd like to know...

Rory

 

Here's an online book that might help with your introduction to Linux.

http://rute.2038bug.com/rute.html.gz

Cheers.

 

rory,

You're right, I could've have been more explicit with this.
Yum automaticaly downloads the packages for you. No need to individualy download, It has lists with packages and their respective links. The objective is to avoid exactly what you are talking about. Instead of having to go to all these sites and download all those packages, you could have yum do it for you in a centralised manner.
Now I think it makes more sense, if you do a "yum install", it downloads and installs a package. If you download a package from a website and double click it, you install it. These are two separate methods.

So say you wanted to install amarok, you'd need to add the livna repository. A repository is a "list".There are instructions for adding the livna repository in this forum if you're interested (it's simple, just two commands If I recall correctly).

 

Fairylantern, I know where you're coming from. You're right, adding programs to the stock Linpus puter can be a pain.

Here's why you're having problems though: Acer specifically DESIGNED this Linpus version to be ready-to-run and simple. It specifically DESIGNED the interface as a launch pad for default programs and nothing more. In other words: it's DESIGNED to be ultra-simple and offer just the basic Surf, Mail, Play Media & WordProcess apps, but work out of the box. :geek:

Only when you want to add things to this simplicity, things become less simple. Them at Acer just haven't catered for that. It's not the Linux per se, it's the cutback Linux interface that's not designed for expansion. There just is no "Install Program" feature - and that's probably deliberate, to keep things simple.
I'm pretty sure that if they listen to their customers they'll add an easy-going "Install program to Desktop" option in the next Linpus version, but since this is only V1.0, that just hasn't arrived yet. :|

(Btw: Most of the time typing a 'yum install <programname>' from the Terminal will work for installing though, but you'll then have to start it from /usr/share/applications manually from the file manager.)

In the meantime, I'd say: relax - there is no reason to read hundreds of manual pages on Linux. I didn't, and managed to install some extra apps nonetheless. Just look at the Aspire One videos on Youtube by Skateasian for starters, she did a pretty good video tutorial on this stuff.

Regards, R

 

My recommendation would be to find a person you know that already knows linux so you can ask some questions. Forums are great, but often I have a bunch of little questions and my friend is very kind and helpful when I'm asking him. I just have to limit my questions and requests otherwise I will get no new help.

 

Always a good idea to find a LUG, Linux User Group.

http://lug.org.uk/

 

That's not true dude. Although I installed only the gimp and amarok, they both appeared in their respective sections in the right click menu in the desktop.

 

Ceno, you're right - I forgot about that one. Sorry for the oversight.