[linux-help] How to get started on Linux (was : help installing programs)

["Koji Hayakawa" <sylf@xxxxxxxxx>]

Business before pleasure?  Yes, it sure applies to Linux.  A lot of Linux
(and Unix) applications are written with functionality and security as the
top priority.  User friendliness comes second hand.

As an application matures, finally people will start writing documents on
them.  People have taken their own time to write these documents for you to
read.  If you are not willing to go find and read these documents, then you
won't be able to survive in Linux world very well.  If you can only find
source-code distribution of a particular software, then you have to learn
how to compile and install stuch package.  And printed books would be the
best source of help for that, if you don't know how to find help on line.
That's why I suggested a few books in my reply.

Back to qmail, though.

I believe the package you grabbed (I'm not sure exactly which file you
grabbed, since you only listed URL that lists the directory content) is not
exactly what you want.  If you go to their main site
(http://www.qmail.org/top.html), toward the top, it has link to RedHat RPM
(http://www.qmail.org/rpms/).  Since you are running RedHat 7.3, you will
want to grab the file named rpm-4.0.4-7x.i386.rpm.

Once you grab the new file, go read how to use RPM in printed book.  I can't
tell you exactly what to do with RPM, since I don't use it everyday.  You
can try this for a starter though:

1.  Open an console window (command prompt)
2.  switch directory to where you saved the downloaded RPM file
3.  Issue this command
       rpm --install rpm-4.0.4-7x.i386.rpm
4.  Hopefully it'll install the software for you.
5.  It may tell you that you are missing dependent rpm modules.  If that's
the case, refer to the book of your choice how to handle them.  If you just
want to find certain RPM, then good site is RPM repository at
http://rpmfind.net/linux/RPM/


And once again, do read all the documents provided.  Qmail has this nice
documents page:  http://www.qmail.org/man/index.html.  Start with README,
FAQ, and INSTALL.  The rest is up to you.

Oh, and make sure to learn to use a text editor.  Pico is a nice and easy
software, but I believe RedHat doesn't install it by default.  vi and emacs
comes to top of people's head, but they sure aren't easiest text editors on
the face of this planet.  Books, again, will help you get started on this.
The reason you want to learn these text editor is, because, in many cases,
Linux lacks point-and-click environment for system configurations and
software configurations.  RedHat does pretty good job of implimenting system
config in GUI, but I'm not sure abuot qmail.

Good luck to ya....

> -----Original Message-----
> From: linux-help-bounce@xxxxxxxxx [mailto:linux-help-bounce@xxxxxxxxx]On
> Behalf Of The PC-Zone
> Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2002 10:43 AM
> To: linux-help@xxxxxxxxx
> Cc: sylf@xxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [linux-help] Re: help installing programs
>
>
>
> I would love to drop qmail, but less then 20 days ago Linux was dumped on
> me, I have over ten years of experience in Microsoft Windows NT.  I
> understand how Microsoft works, and how everything runs in Microsoft.  Now
> Linux is a new experience for me, just like I am sure at one time
> you where
> new to the Linux inviroment.  Unlike you I do not have a good
> understanding
> of how things work in the Linux inviroment.  I have a good feel on how to
> navigate around Linux, but not to install programs.  So before
> you tell some
> one where to go think back to when you first started.  So unlike
> you, I have
> not got the experience on Linux.  All I ever here is about how good Linux
> is, and how I should learn about Linux.  From what I have
> expereince in the
> past 20 days is that Linux, and the poeple using it perfer to keep the
> secret on how to use the program to them self.  I have tried Red Hat for
> support, I have tried these E-mail help Places, I have Asked
> poeple, who use
> Linux, and all I have been getting is frustrated.  I have even offered my
> toll free number to any one that could call, and explain a little about
> linux, and I got no response.  Is Linux some sort of secret program, that
> only a few certain poeple hold the knoledge, and the others are
> left out?  I
> have come to the conculsion the reason Linux is not as Popular as
> Microsoft
> Products is that no one is willing to help, and have patients for some one
> who gets dumped into a new inviroment, tring to meet deadlines, and is
> realizing that the more he ask the less he understands.  To
> conculd, I would
> like to say thank you for what little help I got, and appriciate
> the little
> help a few of you where able to provide to me.
>
> Justin
> 866-327-6644

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