to run a command it needs to be in your PATH. The current directory is
not in your path, 

So to run a program that is in your home directory you need to tell the
shell where it is. ./ is a shortcut to your current directory. You could also 
have givenm the full path like:

/home/woodsey/tmp/sbminst

(assuming sbminst is in a directory called tmp in your home directory.)

If you put the commend somewhere in your path like /bin, /usr/bin etc
you would not need to do this - but don't do that in this case as its
use is a little dangerous and probably a one off.

To see what your path is :

echo $PATH


On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 15:03:30 +1300
rob wrote:

> Thanks Chris,
> That worked. So what exactly does the ./ do?
> Woodsey

-- 
Nick Rout
Barrister & Solicitor
Christchurch
<http://www.rout.co.nz>
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

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