On Monday 04 July 2005 04:23, trevor hamel wrote: > i recently installed linux. when i finished the installer i as hoped to be > gretted with an OS with a display like windows.... what i gto was more like > a display of dos. can someone tell me how to get it to not be in command > prompt... because i didnt think that was what linux was.... thank you for > te help > > Trevor, SUMMARY (each typed on one line as user root): # echo "deb ftp://ftp.egr.msu.edu/debian stable contrib main non-free" >> /etc/apt/sources.list # apt-get update && apt-get install aptitude # aptitude install x-window-system kdm kde synaptic openoffice.org mozilla-firefox OR Install something like Ubuntu < http://ubuntu.com > - - - Methods 1, 2, 3 Notes References - - - There are several ways to resolve this. Each command given is for 'root' (SEE 1.a), is meant to be typed at the command prompt (terminal, console, virtual terminal--whatever you want to call the dos-like screen you see), and is meant to be typed on a single line (even though email magic makes some commands look like they are for two lines). - - - METHODS - - - METHOD 1. Fairly Involved, but worth a try a. Log in as 'root' (You probably entered a password for 'root' during the install, as well as a user and password)[4] b. Run commands to make sure the system is partly up to date: echo "deb ftp://ftp.egr.msu.edu/debian stable contrib main non-free" >> /etc/apt/sources.list apt-get update && apt-get install aptitude c. Run a command to install something pretty Either: aptitude install x-window-system kdm kde synaptic openoffice.org mozilla-firefox OR: aptitude install x-window-system gdm gnome synaptic openoffice.org mozilla-firefox d. Wait a bit, and try to answer any questions--some will appear. The default answers are usually pretty good (unless it's obvious they are wrong). METHOD 2. Minimal interaction from you, and may be quicker than Method 1 if something in Method 1 goes wrong a. Install a Debian-based distribution, e.g. Ubuntu < http://ubuntu.com > b. Follow the install. If you installed Debian, you can easily finish this install. METHOD 3. The command line is a goddess. apt-get install grep sed ed vim emacs links (Yeah, I am joking.) - - - NOTES - - - Method 1: GNOME versus KDE turns into a debate. If you do not know what they are, or do not recognize any pictures at < http://gnome.org > or <http://kde.org >, use this advice: KDE can be more familiar to a Windows user, but GNOME can also be easily used. There are several substitutes for the programs you install with the commands I give. Looking at the 'aptitude install' lines, openoffice.org, mozilla-firefox, and synaptic are optional. Synaptic is a graphical program (package in Debian terms) installer, and can be very useful when beginning. (I'm assuming you've heard of OpenOffice.org and Fireox.) If you are eager to learn the command line and experiment, kde/gnome can be replaced with kde-base/gnome-core, and x-window-system with x-window-system-core. What I list are commands that will install a lot of software--insurance to reduce any mysteriously missing programs. The substitutes will install less (nd save disk space), but may take your time later when you read instructions for things, and are mysteriously missing applications you need. To see descriptions of any of these programs (packages), type: apt-cache show nameofpackagehere To find what something is called (e.g. Firefox is named mozilla-firefox, and Instant Message is named gaim or kopete), type: apt-cache search searchwordshere Several Package Management Guides (Simple -> Complex): http://intrepid.perlmonk.org/apt-dpkg-brief-ref.html http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/4352 http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/users-guide/ch-iraus.en.html Method 2: This is a Debian list, so I see the people already cringing at this method. But, if you don't want to spend time learning small things every so often, or Method 1 is a no-go, installing something like Ubuntu may save you time. Debian lets you learn at a good pace--problems usually only occur when you can take time to change something. Method 3: This does not install a Graphical User Interface (like you are thinking about). This is a joke, but may actually be useful one day if you want to use the command-line (and can be done in addition to Method 1). http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/users-guide/ch-gtktcl.en.html Why You Saw a DOS-Like Screen: Another poster was more complete and verbose than I will be. GNU/Linux has several core layers, akin to the layers OS X uses.[1][2][3] Debian (and other distributions) allow for fine-grained control of what layers you install. Somehow (through installer bug, installer interface weakness, or, much less likely, user error), your install of GNU/Linux (Debian?) did not install the Graphical Layer (or, what the Apple site labels as "Aqua" Layer or "User Experience" Layer). Essentially, core (bottom) layers are essentially required, while abstract (top) layers become less required and more interchangable (i.e., changing from Firefox to Konqueror is easier than from GNOME to KDE--all top layers--and much easier than from Linux Kernel to WindowsXP Kernel--fundamental bottom layers that top layers are dependant upon.) GNU/Linux: * * * * * * * * * * * User Applications (what you use) (e.g. OpenOffice.org, Konqueror, or Synaptic) - - - - - - - - - - - - User Interface anager (what you see) (e.g. KDE, GNOME, Fluxbox) - - - - - - - - - - - - Graphical Consistency Environments (e.g. QT, GTK, kdelibs, gnomelibs) - - - - - - - - - - - - Graphics Hardware Communication (i.e. X.org X11--like Apple's Quartz) - - - - - - - - - - - - HAL (more hardware abstraction) / Core Media (e.g. jack, arts, gstreamer) - - - - - - - - - - - - System Utilities and Management (e.g. cron, postfix/exim, init/boot scripts) - - - - - - - - - - - - Kernel (named Linux; hardware abstraction and management) * * * * * * * * * * * * - - - REFERENCES - - - Log In: [4] http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/users-guide/ch-sastsagi.en.html#s-lifacl Using Packages: http://intrepid.perlmonk.org/apt-dpkg-brief-ref.html http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/4352 http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/users-guide/ch-iraus.en.html (Overly) Verbose Advanced User Guide (updated in 2003?): http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/users-guide/users-guide.en.html Mentioned Things: http://ubuntu.com http://kde.org http://gnome.org http://openoffice.org http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ http://www.nongnu.org/synaptic/ Pretty pictures of the layered system concept: [1] http://www.asia.apple.com/macosx/technologies/ [2] http://developer.apple.com/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/OSX_Technology_Overview/MacOSXOverview/chapter_2_section_2.html [3] http://developer.apple.com/audio/coreaudio.html
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