Running Setup icon as root

[Alan_uk]

Hi
Very first post so need some support to wean me off Windos .

I've a HP Omnibook xe4100 laptop that died after a Windows Update so I thought I would resurrect it with Linux and chose PCLinoxOS    Firefox kept crashing under KDE (just unloaded itself without warning) so I tried LXDE and that's better. But that means I need to download additional software.

I tried searching in the Synaptic Repository for getopenoffice and openoffice but that found nothing.

So I downloaded the Linux RPM version from the OO site. I unzipped it and clicked on the Setup icon but got the message that a full install would not be done unless I ran the setup under root privileges. But I just can't figure out how to do that. In fact I can't even log in as root - I'm just offered my user login.

I'm getting withdraw symptoms already for the right click and Run As on Windos

Regards
Alan
UK

[kernowyon]

Hi Alan,

Welcome to the forum!

PCLOS now uses LibreOffice by default - it is basically OpenOffice, but a fork from that office suite which is now seen as more "open" and thus most distros use it.
I would use Synaptic to locate the LibreOffice Manager (in fact, I expect you already have it installed on yout menu) and run that.

If you still want info about running as "root" (not a good idea unless you know what you are doing by the way), ask away. 

Here at PCLOS, we try to avoid installing software other than the stuff available in the repository - it introduces the risk of instability due to incompatabilities...

[Neal ManBear]

Alan,
There is an icon on your desktop to use in launching LibreOffice Manager. Before using it, open Synaptic > click Reload > click Mark all Upgrades > click Apply and again click Apply in the confirmation window.
LibreOffice Manager can be found in the menu as well >> Office > LibreOffice Manager.

Avoid installing from outside sources. You can break your system doing that. We provide a place for requesting apps not in our repos, the Package Suggest section. Be sure to read and follow the rules posted in that section when making a request.

If you need to run something as root, in the most usual cases, when you launch it, a login window will open first to ask for your root password. All of the common tools, like Synaptic and PCC do this. Everything that must be done as root can be done from your user environment. All of the tools for this you need are provided, either already installed or available through Synaptic.

You should never run as root. Especially never log in as root and connect to the internet. That is a big security risk!

[Alan_uk]

Many thanks for a very quick reply

I didn't realise that LibreOffice was basically OO. Tomorrow I will install that using the installation option (desktop icon) on the desktop.

[Alan_uk]

Thanks Neil for a helpful reply

Heeding your warnings I have used the Repository to find and install an "official" version of Thunderbird. Took me a while to find the icon for it - found in the Internet folder - duh!

[kernowyon]

Thanks Neil for a helpful reply

Heeding your warnings I have used the Repository to find and install an "official" version of Thunderbird. The app has installed as far a I can tell from the green icon in the Repository list. However the app is not in the Applications folder or is there a short cut on the desktop. In fact I can't find it anywhere. Help!

 

Sometimes a reboot will fix that sort of problem
After a reboot, (or a restart of the X server would probably work too - but a reboot is easier to explain!) you should find Thunderbird under the Internet section of your menu.
As it stands now, you can start Thunderbird from a command line instead if you want to, but opening a terminal (Konsole) and simply type in the word thunderbird then press enter.

PS I thought Thunderbird came as part of the standard install? Not sure though..
PPS - Ah, I see you have found it Alan and changed your post to reflect that. All good

[Neal ManBear]

Thanks Neil Neal for a helpful reply

Heeding your warnings I have used the Repository to find and install an "official" version of Thunderbird. The app has installed as far a I can tell from the green icon in the Repository list. However the app is not in the Applications folder or is there a short cut on the desktop. In fact I can't find it anywhere. Help!

Sometimes a reboot will fix that sort of problem
After a reboot, (or a restart of the X server would probably work too - but a reboot is easier to explain!) you should find Thunderbird under the Internet section of your menu.
As it stands now, you can start Thunderbird from a command line instead if you want to, but opening a terminal (Konsole) and simply type in the word thunderbird then press enter.

PS I thought Thunderbird came as part of the standard install? Not sure though..
PPS - Ah, I see you have found it Alan and changed your post to reflect that. All good

Konsole is the kde terminal. The LXDE terminal is lxterminal.
The default mail client for PCLinuxOS-LXDE is Claws Mail. It is a very good mail client.

[Alan_uk]

Thanks guys

As it stands now, you can start Thunderbird from a command line instead if you want to, but opening a terminal (Konsole) and simply type in the word thunderbird then press enter.

Are you saying there is no way to have an icon on the desk or the task bar? !!!???  I've tried drag and drop with apps, folders and browser address bars but nothing happens. My first desktop was Gem back 20 years ago and I'm sure that supported desktop icons

I'm setting this laptop up for a community event and some non linux / basic windos experienced people will be using it. I need to say click here to start x application or open y folder

PS Now running the install for Libre Office.....

[Neal ManBear]

Alan_uk,
To add an icon to the desktop in LXDE, got to the application's menu entry, right click it and choose "Add to Desktop."

[Alan_uk]

Thanks Neal.