need some help abt app installation

[Chris Hewitt]

Dany Gates wrote:

> hi, i am new to linux and have installed red hat 9 on my pc. now i 
> have downloaded new mp3 player for linux snackAmp with *.gz file 
> extension. Now i am from windows background and don't know anything 
> abt linux installation. So how am i supposed to install this 
> application (any application). Plz help me am i supposed to compile it 
> or something first or else what??????????   do i get an exe file for 
> execution??
> I know how to go to terminal window (like console in windows ) . Isn't 
> there in application installation GUI in linux red hat 9???? i have 
> downlaoded many apps but dont know how to install them. Plz give me 
> steps for installlation if u can but not any link!!   What will be the 
> extension of executable file???
> reply soon.........

Dany,

Filename extensions are not so important in unix as MS windows (OK, its 
a generalisation). Any file may be made executable by setting its 
executable bit. If you do a "ls -l" to list a directory then the read, 
write and execute bits are shown on the left. Do a "man chmod" to find 
out more.

The usual program installer on RedHat is RPM (which stood for "Redhat 
Package Manager"). They now allow others to use it and it has its own 
web site http://www.rpm.org
There are several ways of installing programs, but the easiest is to get 
a binary rpm file of the program you want for your particular linux 
distribution (e.g. RH9) and install it. There will also be source rpms, 
but unless you need to source code (not an option with MS windows) there 
is no need to install it, stick to the binary rpms.

Yes, in RH9 there is a GUI tool for doing this, its on the menu System 
Settings -> Add/Remove Applications.

Remember that you get thousands of programs with RH9, so the chances are 
you may already have what you are looking for. Its not like MS windows 
where you only get the basic operating system and a few applications.

HTH
Chris