Instant messenger trouble - amsn, gaim

[DarkChristian]

Hey, newbie here. I'm a linux first-timer. I've finally got a working system and I want to talk to my msn buddies. I got Redhat 8 from the Linux for Dummies book. I have Gaim working and have been chatting with my AIM friends for an hour or so, but I've tried getting my msn section to work to no avail. I have gone to tools -> accounts and set up my msn account, added the libmsn plugin and everything.

When I sign in I get the following error:
username@hotmail.com was unable to sign on: Protocol not supported.

I've downloaded the latest gaim and get the same error. I have also tried updating mozilla (as I saw someone recommend that) but I find I am unable to add a folder to usr/local. Why? Remember, I'm a n00b and am still learning what each of these folders is for. The mozilla installer asks if I want to create a new folder in usr/local and I say yes. Then it says:
Error[-624]; Can't make destination directory. Please try another directory.

Shouldn't it be installed in usr/local?

After an hour or two banging my head against the wall, I found out about aMSN, and decided to try it. Considering my previous install trouble, I just unzipped the package into my home folder.

When I click on aMSN, it gives the following error:
There was an error launching the application.

Details: Failed to execute child process "amsn" (no such file or directory)

What? What exactly is that supposed to mean?

Any and all help is appreciated. I just want to talk to my msn buddies, I don't really care what software I use to do so. Thanks in advance!



My specs (stats taken from bootup dialog):
Asus A7V133-C ACPI Bios Revision 1009
AMD Athlon XP 2.4 GHz
Seagate 40 GB hard drive
768 Mb Ram (3 256Mb sticks of Dram, PC-133)
A generic floppy drive
NVidia GeForce 2 MX 400, 64Mb

[mdwatts]

I don't use any of the apps you listed above or even Redhat.

Until another member can hopefully help, see if anything in these JL forum search results for 'amsn redhat' (http://justlinux.com/forum/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=872471&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending) help.

[DarkChristian]

Actually, I've been doing multiple searches of that nature, and haven't found any topics that really helped. I appreciate the suggestion, though.

[DarkChristian]

Anyone else have any suggestions?

[Gogeta_44]

I have redhat 9 and i really think you should install that instead of redhat 8.
Go to http://www.redhat.com/download/products.html
Also, I might sugest getting Fedora which is redhats newest free operateing system because it's spliting up some time in May so the regular version will no longer be suported.
As for the instant message problems your getting, it looks
like it just cant find the file for AMSN but the newer gaim suports better msn protocal i had the same problem.
unistall useing:

rpm -e gaim

then get the newest version from
http://gaim.sourceforge.net/downloads.php

[trc]

did you make a symbolic link to amsn?

ln -s /foo/bar/msn/amsn /usr/bin/amsn

[DarkChristian]

Gogeta: Thanks, I'll give that a shot tomorrow.

trc: symbolic what? I knew about soft links and hard links, but what are symbolic links. Also, I'm really new to the command line. When I open it up, dos commands come to my mind, as that's the operating system I learned on. I'm still learning command line commands, as I'm aware that's where the real power of Linux is, but as of yet, assume I know nothing.

Edit: I tried rpm -e gaim and got the following error:

error: cannot get exclusive lock on /var/lib/rpm/Packages
error: cannot open Packages index using db3 - Operation not permitted (1)
error: cannot open Packages database in /var/lib/rpm

Should I be in a different directory to run that command?

[JohnT]

Gaim and MSN.............................
http://gaim.sourceforge.net/faq.php#q58

As to your Moz install....just make a directory before you run the install (/usr/local/mozilla) and make sure you give yourself permissions on that directory or install as root and create a secondary profile.

As to your aMSN install...directions are laid out onsite in a clear and concise mannner. HERE (http://amsn.sourceforge.net/modules.php?name=FAQ). Anything your not clear on ask. RPM is not always the best route, initially it seems like the most convenient, but in the aftemath, wouldn't you really want to know where your installing to?

[DarkChristian]

*chuckle* Yes, indeed. I would like that level of control. But as of now, I don't have a clue what I'm doing. Honestly, I'm thinking of upgrading to RedHat 9 and updating all my software from scratch. The software available on the Linux for Dummies disks seems too limited for what I want. I'm pretty sure I'll outgrow Redhat as well before long, but I need the training wheels until I get comfortable with Linux.

I've read those links and am still confused. I guess I'll just have to wade through it for now. Thanks for the help. :)

[JohnT]

Any points your confused on....... ask.

[Slacker91]

DarkChristian when u install Red Hat 9 there will be some updates u also have to install the newest gaim is in there as well as some patches for some other things

if u install the Fedora Core 1 then the newest packages might already come with the latest build

i strongly recommend that u install Red Hat 9 b/c Fedora isnt that stable and i dont think u wanna crash ur computer

[DarkChristian]

Good point. It's too late to do it tonight, though.

BTW, I logged in as root, and added the usr/local folders that way. Installed Mozilla 1.6 and activetcl... I think. I'm still having the same problem with gaim, but I'm pretty sure I'll get it figured out before too long. I'm still getting used to the processes required to install and uninstall software in Linux. Years of working with Windows don't help. I was actually a sysadmin for a while... and now I feel like a novice again.

Kind of liberating, actually. Except for the whole beating my head against the wall thing. I really do appreciate your help, guys. I'll fiddle with it some more and let you know how successful I am tomorrow.

Edit: slacker91 - how do I go about updating to redhat 9? Do I have to burn the iso files to cd? If so, I'll have to get my burner working too...

[mdwatts]

Originally posted by DarkChristian
Edit: I tried rpm -e gaim and got the following error:

error: cannot get exclusive lock on /var/lib/rpm/Packages
error: cannot open Packages index using db3 - Operation not permitted (1)
error: cannot open Packages database in /var/lib/rpm

Should I be in a different directory to run that command?

Doing this as root and not as a user?

[Slacker91]

if u cant burn a cd then what u can do is install RH9 from a filesystem. download the ISO files but get the boot floppies (unless that doesnt work either then ur kinda sunk) dont do nething with the ISO files but when u install it install it froma filesystem and look for the ISOs in ur HD ( hope this helps)

[DarkChristian]

mdwatts: I was logged in as user, but got the same error using the su command. Logging in as root did the trick. Now for the install of gaim...

I get an error bout my C compiler. More and more, I'm beginning to realize that the distro I have is outdated and needs to be updated...

Slacker: thanks for the advice. I'll give that a shot tonight.

[Gogeta_44]

i think i no the error your talking about with the c compiler. Does it say something about pkgconfig? I reinstalled redhat trying to fix the error but theres an rpm u need. If u still have the problem with redhat9 tell me.

[DarkChristian]

Which ISO files do I need? I went to Redhat.com and there are two sets - rpm and i386. I assume I want the rpm files. But that website says "too many users, try again later" or something like that. Is there a mirror site? I didn't see one listed.

[JohnT]

There's on or two.:D

http://www.redhat.com/download/mirror.html

[DarkChristian]

Thanks, JohnT.

Good news, everyone!!! I reinstalled all my software from scratch, then uninstalled the version of gaim it came with, and installed a new version. I'm not quite sure where it was installed or how to start up the software (I went to run program... -> gaim) but it works, and with msn as well!!! Yay!

Now for more upgrades. I've learned an incredible amount in the last few days, and I thank you all.

Now on to other things... But those are for other topics. If anyone wants to reply to the things I've mentioned in this post, you can, but the reason I started this thread has been fixed. :) ^_^'

[DarkChristian]

Gogeta:

I'm still running RH8, but here's what the error said (I was trying ./configure for my mplayer plugin for mozilla)

checking for C++ compiler default output... configure: error: C++ compiler cannot create executables
See `config.log' for more details.

Is there something I can download to remedy this, or will the problem go away when I upgrade? I'm downloading the iso files for RH9 now from one of the mirror sites pointed out by JohnT. (Thanks again.)

[cereal83]

Originally posted by DarkChristian


The mozilla installer asks if I want to create a new folder in usr/local and I say yes. Then it says:
Error[-624]; Can't make destination directory. Please try another directory.

then I click on aMSN, it gives the following error:
There was an error launching the application.

Details: Failed to execute child process "amsn" (no such file or directory)

What? What exactly is that supposed to mean?




Well from what I know when you are installing the new mozilla, you have to be in root to be able to create new directories in /usr/ so if your installing mozilla through a terminal first you would type su then hit enter then it asks for your root password. This should help.

Aoout Gaim. I don't use it because I think it's the crappiest linux program I have ever used in my life and I wish it was never created it sucks so bad, so I use amsn which you can get here --> http://amsn.sourceforge.net

and for amsn you don't double click on the icon. you go into terminal and type cd msn (cd = change directory) (and I am guessing since you said you installed it into your home directory it would probably be (cd ~/msn))to wherever msn is. then type ./amsn



Hope I helped

[Gogeta_44]

see if this fixes it if rh9 dosent

http://dc.qut.edu.au/rpm2html/local/libgsf-devel-1.6.0-4.i386.html

[JohnT]

Aoout Gaim. I don't use it because I think it's the crappiest linux program I have ever used in my life and I wish it was never created it sucks so bad.



He,he,he:D