Linux academy: Part two - Open source it

Mandriva Linux comes with many programs and tools installed as part of the setup process we covered in the previous article.

Installing software on Linux is different from what you may be used to with Windows. Getting this right is essential, as mistakes can mess up your careful work installing Linux.

There are several ways to install programs. You can do it the Windows way, by running a setup file from an internet download or CD, or the more technically inclined can download the source code and compile and install it themselves.

Both approaches are risky for non-experts. Whenever possible, we’d suggest you use the Mandriva software management utility to install and remove software.

We’ll explain a little first before getting on with using these tools. Mandriva has two management utilities, both based on RPM, the package manager also used by Red Hat Linux. The graphical interface for RPM is called Rpmdrake, accessed through the Software Management section of the Mandriva Linux Control Center. There is also a command-line utility called urpmi.

The advantage of using package managers is that they ensure whatever is being installed works with the operating system. Most programs have dependencies, which means they depend on the presence of other software applications or libraries. These in turn have dependencies, and managing all the requirements is complex. Package managers work all this out on your behalf.

Another benefit is that you can keep all your software up to date from a central management tool. It is safe to use something called urmpi one day, and Control Center the next, as they access the same underlying package manager. Always use the package manager to install software. The system will be more reliable as a result.

Setting up software management
Now is a good time to look at the software management system. Open the K Menu by clicking the star at the bottom left of the screen. The K Menu is similar to the Windows Start Menu.

Click on System, then Configuration, then Configure your Computer. Note that the option called Control Centre is quite different, being the configuration tool for the KDE desktop. Mandriva will prompt you for your root password as a security measure. The correct utility has tabs down the left-hand side, beginning with Software Management. Make sure the Software Management tab is active.

There are four options on this screen. Three are self-explanatory; for adding, removing and updating software. The fourth option is to ‘Select from where software packages are downloaded’. This determines where the package manager gets its software from. By default, it will include the installation CD or DVD and the main official Mandriva update sites. Many users add further repositories.