kick it to death in frustration). I'm using Fedora core 1 and GNOME. I use root as my login and pasword. My biggest
problem is simply INSTALLING stuff. For example, I downloaded and installed Mozilla - that went ok. It took a while to
figure out how to create a "launcher" for it on my desktop - but I even got through that.
Now I'm trying to install the Java plugin for it. I have a JDK on the machine - which I use for eclipse. When I went to
install Flash there was a link, I followed the instructions and it worked first time (nice job MM). But for the Java
plugin no such luck. The docs say to create a symbolic link to the plugin FROM The plugin directory to wherever it is
located. So, I found it in the JDK and opend my pain the toosh terminal window and used the ln command to do it. After
much trial and error - It was accomplished.
I restarted the browser and opened a page with a simple java applet - no luck. Part of the problem is probably that I
don't want to use the standard path for stuff. I don't WANT my JDK buried in /usr/var/obscurefolder1/jdk-1.234.e.3.e
blah blah blah.... I want it right off the root where I can find the files easily. The same goes for mozilla and any
other software I install And what is with the GNOME file browser? It's so slow and pokey and the tree view is hideous
... but I digress.
So... last night I decided I'd give up on the Java plugin for a while and install a game for my kids. It turns out there
are a ton of games for Linux and that made me happy. But it also turns out that none of them are as simple as
downloading and installing. I have to download, then use "tar" .. then open a terminal (why can't I right click on the
configure or make??) and then run configure - which may or may NOT work, then run make and then make install. So.. I
started with a game that looked like tetris - figured my wife would like that one - she enjoys diamond mine - a tetris
like game of matching. So.. configure errors out saying I need the 'SDL' library... hmmm... ok, there's a link. I
went to it and found it in several forms - one being rpm. So I downloaded the rpm, and I ran rpm -ivh *filename*.... I
saw hashes on my screen - so I figured it was a good sign - right? Nope.. configure still can't find the library. So I
did a search for the sdl-config utility. It turns out it is no where to be found on the machine. Where did it go?
See what I mean. Where's the linux equivelent of the registry - where I can go and see what's installed and where it's
at and stuff. Why is it necessary to download, configure, compile and then install something? Isn't there such a thing
as an linux installer or wizard? It's no longer a mystery why linux hasn't done well on the desktop. After years of
work they still haven't figured out how most people use a desktop. Most people get hung up on "start-->run...type
something in" on a windows box. Does the linux world think they are going to ooh and ah at the wonders of the tar
command line?
-Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 3:08 PM
To: CF-Linux
Subject: Re: good linux newbie list...
Hello Mark,
If it's something you can't find quickly through google it may not be
so "inane". I'd suggest trying this list.
Tuesday, August 10, 2004, 2:02:31 PM, you wrote:
MAKC> Guys,
MAKC> Anyone know of a good linux newbie list - where I can ask really inane questions??
MAKC> -Mark
--
Best regards,
kbridges mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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