Google Earth

You will find that there are times when entering things at the command line are necessary to get things done properly. Clicking on the downloaded didn't work because its not SUPPOSED to work. You need to make the file executable and then run it from the command line. Of course, you could have also done a google search and found Medibuntu which makes the installation of Google Earth a trivial point and click task.

Unlike Windows, you normally do NOT download programs from various web sites and then install them by clicking. This is how all manner of malware gets spread. By using trusted repositories and Synaptic, you will be able to find and install most software with point and click ease.

There is no need to "emulate windows", just follow the instructions from the GoogleEarth help page: Open a terminal window/console and navigate to your default downloads directory. Enter the following command in the directory: sh GoogleEarthLinux.bin Follow the prompts to complete the installation. Just one simple command, nothing to be afraid of.

hotshotDJ,

You mentioned something that both GoogleEarth and I missed, the fact that if you download a file to a linux partition, it will not be executable by default (thank God!).

So you would run the command chmod +x GoogleEarthLinux.bin to make the file executable.

Or if so inclined, I'm sure you could change the file permissions from a graphical file manager with a right click, properties, permissions.

hotshotDJ Thanks for your reply. I am a long time DOS/Windows user that does not want to switch to Vista and is tried of waiting for XP and Norton to load. When Dell started offering Linux, I wanted to support their effort and purchased the E1505n laptop. I have to run two computers now because of programs like TurboTax but hopefully more suppliers will support Linux. To me, the success of Dells desktop Linux program is critical hence my desire for simple installs so more people will switch to Linux. Perhaps Dell could become a trusted site for computers they sell.

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@pepage wrote:
Perhaps Dell could become a trusted site for computers they sell.

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Nah... Just about everything you need is already available either directly through Ubuntu repositories or through other well documented repositories. There's really no need confuse things by fragmenting the already very comprehensive sources for Ubuntu software. I strongly recommend that you check out the excellent Ubuntu documentation for a lot of great information. I date back to the paper-tape and punch-card days (ugh.. am I REALLY that old?) and still I find the Ubuntu documentation invaluable. And remember, if something seems like it should be easier, it probably IS and you just are approaching it incorrectly.

I guess I'm kind of lucky in that I never much cared for Windows -- I only used it for about 3 years or so, and only because the computer I bought in 1999 came with Windows 98 preinstalled and I didn't want to buy an upgrade for OS/2. So, I didn't find it all that traumatic to learn Linux when I switched in 2002 after being horrified by Windows XP! Most Tax applications have secure online equivalents. For example, TaxCut (the program I use) has a web interface that works just fine using Firefox in Linux. I don't know what other applications you use, but there are likely to be very good native Linux alternatives for them. In case there isn't, you could always use VirtualBox to allow you to run Windows as a guest operating system on an Ubuntu host. That way you won't have to maintain multiple boxes just for one or two Windows apps.

Paper tape...now that is old! I remember the IBM 360 and punch cards. My first computer was a Heathkit H89 but paper tape.... please! If you are that old you remember about the computer repair man that said that $49,000 was knowing where to tap. That is how I feel about Linux. I am not finding it that easy in a Windows world. For example, I just purchased an Epson V100 scanner and had to make a copy of paperwork to send in for my rebate. Could not get it to work on the Linux laptop so fired up the XP box and made my copy. I know I can find a driver somewhere but I am going slow on my conversion to Linux.

just something to add to the googlearth installer.

you dont have to make it executable, by just running...

sh GoogleEarthLinux.bin

will execute it. but, if you make it executable, then you can just run...

./GoogleEarchLinux.bin

hopefully, in the near future, they will do away with the former and just make the user have to chmod +x all downloaded binaries.

Google Earth can be downloaded and installed from the Ubuntu repositories with the Synaptic Package Manager. That's the easiest and fastest way to add and remove programs.

@ByCo: Are you sure about that? Last time I checked it wasn't available in the regular Ubuntu repositories -- one needs either Automatix2 (I don't particularly recommend that one) or Medibuntu repositories (I recommend that one) to avoid using the command line installer.

I understand I can install Google Earth by entering the command sh GoogleEarthLinux.bin which now resides on my desktop. How I enter that command is another story. Nothing flashing on my screen and no Run on my menus. Back to the point and click world....I can access the Synaptic Package Manager from the menu via System/Administration/Synaptic Package Manager but then a password is required. I can also do Applications/"Add/Remove..." from the menu and it looks like the Synaptic Package Manager and NO password is required. Reviewing the entire repository list in the Synaptic Package Manager, I find nothing about Google Earth. So how do I marry GoogleEarthLinux.bin with the Synaptic Package Manager?

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@pepage wrote:
So how do I marry GoogleEarthLinux.bin with the Synaptic Package Manager?

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You cannot. You may EITHER use the GoogleEarthLinux.bin file (which you must run from a command line) OR you may follow the instructions given at the Medibuntu link I provided in earlier posts. You'll still need to open a terminal to do the initial set-up of medibuntu. (Actually, there may be a way to set it up using Synaptic's GUI -- but I use KDE with Adept Mananger, so I don't know... I'm sure there is something in the help files I linked to earlier in this thread)

BTW, you will need to use your password in order to install most software. Some things can be installed in you user directory (and therefore no administrative privileges needed). But you will normally need administrator privileges to install things. This is a security measure. When you are asked for the password, just enter your user password. Ubuntu sets up the first user with superuser privileges via sudo.

Thanks for all the help. Google Earth has been installed. When I downloaded .bin file, it went to the desktop. Had to move file to Home Folder then installed with sh command. Very easy when you know what to do.