How to install a new program in Red Hat Linux?

[K.R.L.Narasimha]

Hi, recently I added RHL 9.0 to one of my partition.I have some LINUX programs in cd's of digit.But to install them I can't find any installer as such in windows.But in those files(files of the linux programs) I was asked to compile them.What is this compiling and how to do it by an example.Please help me.I am a newbie to linux and also to programming.If possible suggest me some sites on the same topic. Bye. 8)

[ujjwal]

Hi,

A lot of software for linux is distributed as its source code, which means that you need to compile the software before running it. First, check if you installed the development packages for your distro (type gcc in a terminal, it should say "no input files" or something to that effect). If not, then install them from the CD.

After that, open the directory where you extracted the package, and then read the documentation files provided.

The most general way to compile software is to type the following in the directory of the source code -

./configure
make
make install

Each command will have an output, and expecially the make process can take time for large software.

[GNU_Coder]

Mr. Narsimha as Ujjawal told you the way of installing the programs the compile way.You have another option of downloading RPM package of particulr software from
rpmfind.net then just double click the rpm file and you r done.Or you can even install using commandline rpm <option e.g. -f --nodeps --nomd5> {filename}