Install tar.bz2 in linux

If you want to install an application which is not listed in your linux distro sources you need to find an installable file which suitable to your distro.

example:

                for debian/ubuntu, you need to download .deb files

                for fedora/suse/redhat you need to download .rpm files

If you can find .bin file, that would be the easiest way to install the application.

In this post I'm going to show how to install the application from the hardest way. (only use this method if you fail to find above files, and this method can be use for any linux distro)

Ok, now I'm going to install seamonkey. (a web browser based on firefox)

1. Download tar.bz2 file.

2. Make a directory and move the downloaded tar.bz2 file to that directory.

To make a directory ( "seamonkey" is the name I have used)

mkdir seamonkey

To move tar.bz2 file ( "seamonkey-2.0.11.tar.bz2" is the name of tar.bz2 )

mv seamonkey-2.0.11.tar.bz2 ./seamonkey/

cd seamonkey/
 

3. Extract .tar.bz2 file ( you can use full name without using * )

tar jxvf sea*.tar.bz2

4. Change the directory to seamonkey which has been extracted.

cd seamonkey/

5. Finally run the application by using

./seamonkey

6. Configure the application launcher ( the way is depends on the desktop environment )

for GDM

FYI: This method is for seamonkey, for the other applications, open the .tar.bz2 file then you can find the README.txt. You will find a similar method as above.