Help getting started in Linux

[tesco]

Since I know so much about windows its almost impossible for me to really use linux...i'm just so lost.
I have no idea about program names for good programs under linux, although I do know firefox...
I'll worry about finding programs later (google).

What I'm lost with is file types and how to intall stuff. What is RTM? What's a SO? (same as dll under windows?).
And how do you install things. I though this RTM file I got was an installer like .msi under windows but running it just opens an archive program which cant open the file.

Thanks for any help getting started. If I can start learning how to configure and use this I just might switch from windows to linux.

BTW using ubuntu 6.06 64bit.

[tesco]

Also, I set up Samba to be able to network with my windows computers but i cant edit the samba config file... I don't have permission.
How do I give my account permission to edit files outside of the /home/{username}/ folder?

[erRor67]

Your best bet is to find some linux guide made for your distro (in your case, ubuntu). I personally installed linux (I chose SuSe) a few months ago and Im sooooo n00b at it. Im pretty good with Windows and stuff but linux is a whole new ball game. In Windows you can basically just point and click and learn on your own (trial and error). With linux, it seems way harder. Installing programs is hell (each distro needs its own compilied version of the software).

For Suse, you can use repositories where you check software you want and it installs everything for you (all dependences and everything just for Suse). Im assuming theres something similar on ubuntu (check their forums and wiki).

EDIT: here are some guides,
https://help.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/deskt...e/C/index.html
http://ubuntuguide.org
http://monkeyblog.org/ubuntu/installing/

And check this, Automatix: http://www.getautomatix.com/
Its basically GUI script for installing the most commonly requested applications.

[ObiWan]

for installing software you can use apt (the package manager that ubuntu uses) this should download and install the software and any dependances. or use the synaptic package manager which is a front end for apt though you may want to enabe more repositorys first.

to get superuser access login as root or type "su -" at the terminal (this will only give root access for that terminal) it is not recommended to login as root and should only be used when nessesary

also check out www.easyubuntu.freecontrib.org for mp3 codecs

[FXTGx]

Ubuntu is built upon Debian (if you didn't know), so if you need a program and there's no "Ubuntu" version, try the Debian one. The files you should look for are .deb

Also, go through Synaptic. It's under your Administration menu. Make sure to add repositories to get access to more programs (link at bottom of post). All you do is check the ones you want, Apply, and tada!

Also, you can build programs from source. To do this, download the source file (usually a "tarball", which is .tar.gz or .tar.bz2), untar it (when you open it up, it will look kinda like WinZip under Windows...just extract it somewhere, like in /tmp or your Desktop).

Then...to actually compile a program from source, open up a Terminal. Use cd to get in the folder you extracted. Type ./configure (it may ask some things), then "make" and "sudo make install" Then you should be able to run it!

Oh yeah, and I assumed you have no Linux experience (I didn't a few months ago...this is all stuff I learned). If you knew a lot of this, I hope you aren't insulted or anything.

http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Dapper#H...a_repositories

P.S. Is there a particular program that you're looking for? What did you mainly use under Windows?

P.P.S. ObiWan is right - use EasyUbuntu to save the hassle of getting some codecs and basic stuff working right.

[dbk927]

Ubuntu is built upon Debian (if you didn't know), so if you need a program and there's no "Ubuntu" version, try the Debian one. The files you should look for are .deb

Also, go through Synaptic. It's under your Administration menu. Make sure to add repositories to get access to more programs (link at bottom of post). All you do is check the ones you want, Apply, and tada!

Also, you can build programs from source. To do this, download the source file (usually a "tarball", which is .tar.gz or .tar.bz2), untar it (when you open it up, it will look kinda like WinZip under Windows...just extract it somewhere, like in /tmp or your Desktop).

Then...to actually compile a program from source, open up a Terminal. Use cd to get in the folder you extracted. Type ./configure (it may ask some things), then "make" and "sudo make install" Then you should be able to run it!

Oh yeah, and I assumed you have no Linux experience (I didn't a few months ago...this is all stuff I learned). If you knew a lot of this, I hope you aren't insulted or anything.

http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Dapper#H...a_repositories

P.S. Is there a particular program that you're looking for? What did you mainly use under Windows?

P.P.S. ObiWan is right - use EasyUbuntu to save the hassle of getting some codecs and basic stuff working right.

Yes, that's how its done... Use synaptic package manager and search for any programs you need. Its actually easier than windows installations once you get used to it. Oh, and as far as installer extensions, there's two basic types .deb and .rpm

Using Ubuntu, you'll want installers with a .deb extension, because your distro is based on debian. The other type .rpm stands for "red hat package manager" and is used for Red Hat's distros and distros based on it. All of this, however, can be avoided and automated for you by just using synaptic package manager in your "administration" menu.