Where to install programs?

[atrost]

I have no rights to intall progams in /opt. Where must programs be installed, so that all users can use them?
By the way: i have not rights enough to do anything. There are in the system-configuration-tool only few menus to configure the system.
In Suse Linux you have with Yast the possibility to configure the hole system!
With Kubuntu you have only user-rights but no rights as root.
How can i change the system?
Regards...

[TerranAce007]

Re: Where to install programs?

In Ubuntu, the root user account (system admin) is disabled by default, unlike Suse. In Suse, and most other distros, you can gain root privelages in a terminal by using the command 'su', which requires the root password. In Ubuntu, you use the command 'sudo', which prompts for your password and gives you temporary root privelages to run admin tasks. To get a root terminal in Ubuntu, you use 'sudo su -'. You can also enable the root user account if you want, by 'sudo passwd root' and setting a root password, but this is not necessary, unless you want to create a system admin account and prevent regular users from having admin capabilities.

You don't specify what software you are trying to install. If you use Ubuntu, then run synaptic, if you use Kubuntu, run adept. Both are graphical front ends for the apt package manager, and will be ask you for your password in order to gain root privelages. Alternitavely, you can use the aptitude package manger from the command line to do the same thing. type 'aptitude --help' for info on how to use the command line tool.

These programs will allow you to install pre-compiled software made available in the online repositories. If you can't find a program you are looking for, add other sources to you sources.list (which should be explained in the starter guide http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Dapper).

If the program you want is not available as a package for ubuntu, you can compile it from source yourself, but it is probably a difficult task for a beginner.

Programs are usually stored in /usr/bin, while configuration files are stored in /etc. /var usually stores variables and cache data. /lib stores library data necessary for programs to run. /mnt and /media usually manage removeable drives, cd-roms, and other hard disk partitions, such as a windows installation. /sys and /dev are virtual folders for system files, while /root is the the home folder for the system admin. Usually proprietary programs such as vmware and sun java store stuff in /opt. Like I said before, I don't know what you are trying to install, but if you use a package manager or compile it yourself, the installation will take care of putting the program in the right place.

Most of the options in the system config menu are for configuring your personal settings. Modules, such as printing, which affect the whole system will have an 'administrator' button to click, enter your password, and gain admin rights.

Suse is very nice with the yast program, but all yast does is offer a graphical front end for system configuration. Just because there is not a button for it in Ubuntu doesn't mean it can't be done. What are you trying to configure.

[kubicle]

Re: Where to install programs?

but this is not necessary, unless you want to create a system admin account and prevent regular users from having admin capabilities.

Regular users don't get admin capabilities (they can't use sudo) unless you specifically add them to the '%admin'-group. You should consider the first account (created during installation) as the 'admin' account as only that user is automatically added to %admin.

So it's not necessary to create a traditional root account to prevent 'regular' users from messing with your system.

You also might consider using 'sudo -i' instead of 'sudo  su', sudo -i gives you the root console, but retains user environment (So '~' still points to '/home/user' instead of '/root', for example (A handy feature in most cases))

[atrost]

Re: Where to install programs?

There was only a problem with the links of repositories in Adept.
After enabling the links i had all software i need and the installation is no problem!
Thanks for help.