Joho the Blog
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July 11, 2003
It's 8:30pm so I'm back on the Linux machine. Just messing around. And crashing. Thanks to advice from vthe comment board, I found out that I should be using Samba to enable linux to open files on the XP machines on my network. I got the Samba file easily enough. Unlike in XP, double-clicking on a downloaded file in Opera doesn't launch the app you need to open it, at least not with compressed files. But doing so in the Gnome equivalent of Windows Explorer does. So, the files unzipped nicely. (I'm creating directories in my tree as if I knew what I were doing; I don't know what the expectations are for where you put downloaded executables.) But when I doubleclicked on one of the files, I got a segmentation fault from Gnome for nautilus-text-view. At least it didn't bring down the entire system, but XP handles crashes pretty well, too (in my naive experience). Now I'm trying to read the pdf doc for samba, but the pdf reader (ghost viewer) is unable to open it. Sigh. But xpdf does fine. Oy veh, it's an 85 page manual that first wants me to run ./configure in my source directory, but I don't know how to get to a command line. Aha! Found the terminal. Navigate to the directory. Tab completion works! I'm feeling like a regulah unix hacker here. Run ./configure...and it fails because "no acceptable cc found in $PATH." I have no idea where a cc is except in an email msg and I somehow doubt that that's what it's looking for. So, I'm hosed. No samba for me. Wait, maybe it's already compiled. There's a RedHat directory. It doesn't open with the "text viewer" app on te popup menu, but it does with gedit. The readme says that I can produce the RPMS just by typing "sh makerpms.sh." I have no idea what an RPMS is, but apparently I want one, so back to ther terminal. And...it can't find the right directories and it doesn't like the parameters. Thus ends my Samba adventure for tonight. My system is running slow for a 1.7mh machine. There's lag even when typing. I think something isn't right, but I don't know where to turn...all part of the discomfort and fun of traveling to lands where you don't speak the language. Posted
by D. Weinberger at July 11, 2003 08:59 PM
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Comments
OK, unless you're just making a point you're a bit off the easiest path to Linux happiness. If you ARE making a point, disregard the comment.
Samba is not an application but a system service (a daemon in unix parlance) to connect you to windows (SMB) drives. There are GUI clients to manage Samba once you manage to install it: http://de.samba.org/samba/GUI/
RPM's are 'installable binaries' - most Linux software is distributed primarily as source and only secondarily as binaries if not on your distribution disks (Samba should be on the redhat CD's). If you're a non-technical user you should stick to installing RPM's. There are GUI tools to manage RPM's also:
http://www.rpm.org/software/gui/
One thing Linux is not quite so willing to help you with as Windows is the elimination of choice, however - so everywhere you go on your Linux box, you'll have options, and then some more options to consider.
On the other hand, it is quite easy for you to permit either a well-meaning or a well-paid Linux hacker to log on to your machine and help you configure it properly. That of course is a bit of a cop-out in terms of usability, but it works.
Posted by: Claus | July 12, 2003 04:43 AM
Microsoft stock rose 1.48% while this exercise was in progress, and Red Hat fell 1.91%.
Tip: buy low, sell high.
Posted by: Richard Bennett | July 12, 2003 07:16 AM
Claus, I'm not making a point. I'm just reporting on the experience of a relatively savvy Windows user getting used to linux. Believe it or not, I actually have a little more background with linux than most Windows users since I used Unix at work for 8 years, albeit I've forgotten a lot in the 9 years since then.
I readily admit I'm off the easiest path to linux happiness. I have a linux-besotted nephew who's eager to set the whole thing up for me. But I'm trying to have the "out of the box" RedHat experience.
So, thanks for the advice and explanations as I continue to bumble and stumble.
Posted by: dweinberger | July 12, 2003 08:39 AM
you probably have samba already installed
1)check if samba is installed
start-->system settings-->Add/Remove applications
In the server section see details for windows server
2)config samba
start-->system settings-->server settings-->Samba server
3)turn samba on
start-->system settings-->server settings-->services
samba is the "smb" service
check it and start
Posted by: Anonymous | July 12, 2003 11:09 AM
Open Source stuff is fine for programmers, but not fine for civilians, as this experiment (and countless others) demonstate.
Best of luck anyhow, everybody needs a hobby.
Posted by: Richard Bennett | July 14, 2003 07:18 AM