Tarballs - Decompressing and Installing?

[Shadius]

I'm new to the whole Linux experience so consider me a noob. What I want to learn to do is how to decompress tarballs and install them. I'm trying to install Compiz Fusion on Ubuntu but I can't figure out how to use the terminal to decompress the .bz2 tarball. I need help. I've seen what Linux can do and that's why I decided to give it a try but it seems that it's complicated for former Windows users that know nothing of the terminal. Help please! Teach me how to use these tarballs!

[Can+~]

If you're new, you should don't touch tar.gz's just yet.

Besides, compiz-fusion comes preloaded from ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon) by default, it's on appearence > Visual Effects.

Also, please, instead of looking on google for files, first open "Add/Remove Programs" on the Applications tab, you'll have a pleasant surprise, you can install free software directly from the server, instead of scouting for .exe's in windows.

[Tim Sharitt]

To extract a bz2 tarball

tar -xjf file.tar.bz2

read the tar man page for all the options and how to extract other compression formats. Once extracted the installation varies from app to app, most will have an "install" file which should get you started. I see you're installing compize, have you tried to install it from the repositories?

[cml21]

in a more general sense, as you find tarballs that you want to install, try the following:

1. go to command line
2. go to a temp directory, for example, type: cd /tmp
3. grab the package off the interweb, tpye: wget http://www.website.com/package.tar.gz
4. untar it, type: tar -zxvf package.tar.gz (or flag '-xvjf' if untarring X.tar.bz2)
5. move into the created dir, type: cd package
6. configure the package, type: ./configure
7. make the package, type: make
8. install the package, type: make install

please post again if you have additional questions...

[Xiong Chiamiov]

I don't know about Gnome, but in KDE I just right-click -> extract here, using ark.

[Can+~]

I don't know about Gnome, but in KDE I just right-click -> extract here, using ark.

It's the same thing on gnome (named file-roller though). The thing is that the OP is trying to install compiz-fusion from a compressed file, which is weird, since ubuntu comes with it, and it's on the repository.

So my guess is that he's under the typical windows philosophy of "go grab it from google", instead of looking up on the local repository.

Instead of teaching him how to uncompress a file and let him screw it up while compiling a source code, let's teach him how to use the best tools of debian, which, at the same time, are more newbie-friendly.

[Shadius]

Thank you. I didn't expect to get a reply so fast from these forums. Okay, I tried doing it from Visual Effects first but the screen just goes to showing the background wallpaper then it reverts back. What does that mean? Does that mean it's applied? Do I need to install Linux drivers for my graphics card?

[Shadius]

OP? Just a quick question, how come you guys are so helpful? I've never gotten such kind of help from users of Windows. I don't know if you guys also use Windows but you guys are amazingly helpful! Thanks to you all!

[Can+~]

Thank you. I didn't expect to get a reply so fast from these forums. Okay, I tried doing it from Visual Effects first but the screen just goes to showing the background wallpaper then it reverts back. What does that mean? Does that mean it's applied? Do I need to install Linux drivers for my graphics card?

Yes, on the restricted drivers section (System > Administration).

Could you run the following command?

lspci > ~/Desktop/info.txt

This will create a file called info.txt on your desktop with your hardware information, paste it here, for future reference. The most important thing, is an Ati video card or nVidia? Ati cards are troublesome.

[Xiong Chiamiov]

OP == Original Poster

These forums (especially the beginner forum) are very, very high traffic. All of us here actually *enjoy* using our OS (well, most of the time), and as such, enjoy helping others get to where we are now. I've only been using Linux since Christmas break, but I found that after I had to go through hell trying to get something to work, I wanted to help others not have to go through the same thing. And so, I end up here.