Every thing I read on installing seti (boinc) in Linux Fedora core 4 is written in geekspeak .. time to realize that not all are geek oriented and put the instructions into simple steps .. such as where do we send the file we are downloading? .. how do we access that file? (in steps please). what do we do once the file has been accessed? And so on. It says self extracting, but I can't get TO the file to self extract and install anything .. those are the problems. I have been running SETI since 1999 on a Windows machine with NO problems .. I want to get this Linux box up and running and the instructions both at the download point and here are NOT user friendly.

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Look at Paul Bucks excelent boinc wiki (http://boinc-doc.net/boinc-wiki).
There is almost everything documentated. It is very easy written !

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Look at Paul Bucks excelent boinc wiki (http://boinc-doc.net/boinc-wiki).
There is almost everything documentated. It is very easy written !

Nice but I have a problem on part 3c of the install .. I fail to get the run or display screen, so I still can't install it!! I have repeated the steps over and over, even going as far as deleting everything and starting at point A TWICE.

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Look at Paul Bucks excelent boinc wiki (http://boinc-doc.net/boinc-wiki).
There is almost everything documentated. It is very easy written !

Nice but I have a problem on part 3c of the install .. I fail to get the run or display screen, so I still can't install it!! I have repeated the steps over and over, even going as far as deleting everything and starting at point A TWICE.

What do you mean with part 3c ?
Can you please describe you installproblem in detail.

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What do you mean with part 3c ?
Can you please describe you installproblem in detail.[/quote]

I do the right click on the installer program to grant permissions .. do so (checking the execute) and click on the close. When I go back to the installer program and double click, I GET NOTHING. I should (according to the instructions) get a "run or display" screen where I am to select run .. NOPE!! NOTHING!! (I am doing all of this from my "home" and the uncrunched file folder therin.)

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What do you mean with part 3c ?
Can you please describe you installproblem in detail.

I do the right click on the installer program to grant permissions .. do so (checking the execute) and click on the close. When I go back to the installer program and double click, I GET NOTHING. I should (according to the instructions) get a "run or display" screen where I am to select run .. NOPE!! NOTHING!! (I am doing all of this from my "home" and the uncrunched file folder therin.)
[/quote]
Now make a directory /tmp/boinc and copy the downloaded file to /tmp/boinc.

Please open a xterm or a other command line window and "cd /tmp/boinc".

Type in "sh ./boinc_5.2.13_i686-pc-linux-gnu.sh" or whatever the file called, you have downloaded.
Now you have extracted files in /tmp/boinc. At this point, you can copy it to your prefered directory.

At least continue the other install instructions and attach to the project.

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Now make a directory /tmp/boinc and copy the downloaded file to /tmp/boinc.

Please open a xterm or a other command line window and "cd /tmp/boinc".

Type in "sh ./boinc_5.2.13_i686-pc-linux-gnu.sh" or whatever the file called, you have downloaded.
Now you have extracted files in /tmp/boinc. At this point, you can copy it to your prefered directory.

At least continue the other install instructions and attach to the project.

Didn't quite go that way, but managed to get the manager to lauch .. a chore cutting and pasting as I had to open a bunch of windows, but got it and it now is chooglin' away. Thank You

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The previous posts should have your problem fixed - you need to install programs, etc. from a Terminal Window, like Xterm. Remember to switch to being "root" after you open the Xterm window, by typing in the command "su -" and the Root password, or your regular password if you are using Ubuntu or Kubuntu.

Here's where you, a former Winblows user are "stumping your toe": In the "Right-Click Menu" the "Display", "Open", and "Run" choices really apply mainly to opening Multimedia files like .jpg or .avi or .mpg - granted, some BINARY programs will also execute when you select "Run", some won't - depends on several things and you said you don't like "geek speak" so just trust me, it's technical.

Script files will NEVER execute from the Right-click menu options because they depend on the SHELL environment provided BY THE TERMINAL - they use the environment of the terminal itself to run, that's their "Operating System".

One last note: Microsoft Windows makes a great many people wrongly believe that somehow Computer Science has become as simple as operating a toaster. This is not the case. Like all other areas of technical expertise, Computer Science has become MORE difficult, not less so, especially in the Linux world at the cutting edge of all forms of computer technology. You can see this in action - the folks at Microsoft can't get Windows to work right after 15+ years and don't have a clue why not....

*nix was over 20 years old when Winblows tried to copy Unix X11(X-windows), Apple and a bit later NeXT.

To make matters worse, you are dealing with Computer Science folks at one of the world's major technology universities, USC. In the world of Academic Computing people like me put Windows on our dog's computer, but the cat's insist on Linux...

All seriousness aside, many of the folks that help out here are no foolin' Computer Scientists, or like me, Engineers - we don't mean to be overly technical - we don't usually realize when we are, since it's what we are - technical.

If you are going to run Linux, beyond browsing the web and word processing, which is easier than on Windoze because you don't have to patch three times a week, etc and it really works right all the time - you are going to have to do some reading or get a friend to help you.

If there's a LUG (Linux User's Group) in your area, join it, you'll meet some nice people who will be happy to show off, er, I mean, help you out and you may find some great deals on excess computer toys.

If not, get "Linux for Dummies", or some such thing. Take some Saturday morning and [really] read [not skim] it, and most of this mystery will just go away and you will be working with a real computer, not an appliance. Mainly, you will have the confidence of really knowing what you are doing, and leave the 98% of computer users who cannot say that.....

Hope this helps,

fudoki

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The previous posts should have your problem fixed - you need to install programs, etc. from a Terminal Window, like Xterm. Remember to switch to being "root" after you open the Xterm window, by typing in the command "su -" and the Root password, or your regular password if you are using Ubuntu or Kubuntu.

Here's where you, a former Winblows user are "stumping your toe": In the "Right-Click Menu" the "Display", "Open", and "Run" choices really apply mainly to opening Multimedia files like .jpg or .avi or .mpg - granted, some BINARY programs will also execute when you select "Run", some won't - depends on several things and you said you don't like "geek speak" so just trust me, it's technical.

Script files will NEVER execute from the Right-click menu options because they depend on the SHELL environment provided BY THE TERMINAL - they use the environment of the terminal itself to run, that's their "Operating System".

One last note: Microsoft Windows makes a great many people wrongly believe that somehow Computer Science has become as simple as operating a toaster. This is not the case. Like all other areas of technical expertise, Computer Science has become MORE difficult, not less so, especially in the Linux world at the cutting edge of all forms of computer technology. You can see this in action - the folks at Microsoft can't get Windows to work right after 15+ years and don't have a clue why not....

*nix was over 20 years old when Winblows tried to copy Unix X11(X-windows), Apple and a bit later NeXT.

To make matters worse, you are dealing with Computer Science folks at one of the world's major technology universities, USC. In the world of Academic Computing people like me put Windows on our dog's computer, but the cat's insist on Linux...

All seriousness aside, many of the folks that help out here are no foolin' Computer Scientists, or like me, Engineers - we don't mean to be overly technical - we don't usually realize when we are, since it's what we are - technical.

If you are going to run Linux, beyond browsing the web and word processing, which is easier than on Windoze because you don't have to patch three times a week, etc and it really works right all the time - you are going to have to do some reading or get a friend to help you.

If there's a LUG (Linux User's Group) in your area, join it, you'll meet some nice people who will be happy to show off, er, I mean, help you out and you may find some great deals on excess computer toys.

If not, get "Linux for Dummies", or some such thing. Take some Saturday morning and [really] read [not skim] it, and most of this mystery will just go away and you will be working with a real computer, not an appliance. Mainly, you will have the confidence of really knowing what you are doing, and leave the 98% of computer users who cannot say that.....

Hope this helps,

fudoki

I started out using DOS on an 8086 a long time ago, but switched to Win 3.11 when I bought a 486 and used various versions of Windex through the present (have some XP machines and have an iPAQ that uses 2003).
I began to dabble in Linux about 3 or 4 years ago, but have never become too deeply involved as the system, at that time, had not become user friendly in any way.

I am a computer USER vs a programmer. Too me, a computer IS an appliance or a tool .. not something I want to be messing with all the time. If a machine does not do what I want it to do by putting various programs into same, I am not interested in using it. The many steps involved in installing a program into a build have been the major stumbling block for me and, I suspect, for many others. Granted, they are the reason the system is virtually virus/mal-ware proof but, part of that problem is the language and terminology used in the install instructions. Too many of those writing same fail to take into consideration that many of the users are NOT programmers and are really not familiar with the terms nor the steps.

Fedora, on the other hand is VERY user friendly and I find myself using it more and more as the programs that come in the build are ALMOST what I want in most cases and EXACTLY what I want in others. BUT, again, the stumbling block of installing programs outside of the build. The new KLIX looks to be an answer, but have not delved into it too deeply as of yet.

I Have been running Seti for many years. (sufficiently to have a bunch of completion certificates). I had the Linux machine that was sitting here and not "doing" anything when I was not on it. Wasting computer time and power for no reason at all. So, I wanted to install the new BOINC on IT and let it do some crunching. Hence, the initial question now answered (and well, I might add!)

My interests lie in multi media, and it answers a lot of the needs there now. Whereas, much of that was ignored in a lot of the older builds and even in some of the current builds by other developers.

I live in the hinterlands, (a larger town where most think that Windows is the ONLY operating system .. even Apple had to close their store!) This is where Linux is still a "Geek" program and getting any assistance is problematic. The nearest "guru" runs a shop that is in a small town 35 miles from here and is only available on Mondays .. that type of situation.

And even the "Dummies" book (which I have and attempted to read) is not that well written, and there is very little build specific information in it and way behind the curve. So, I plod along .. however the new Tux eZine is the answer to a prayer! VERY understandable (check it out!)

But thanks for the reply and the concern.

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