soft package install

RPM - Red Hat Package Management
Install - rpm -i ***.rpm
Upgrade -rpm -Uvh ***.rpm
Erase/uninstall - rpm -e package-name
Force installation -rpm -Uvh --force --nodeps ***.rpm
Query package - rpm -q package-name

Debian  Package Managment (.debs)

Firstly edit /etc/apt/sources.list and add your closest mirror and cds with debian on:
Example
deb ftp://ftp.us.debian.org/debian stable main contrib non-free
deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 2.2 r0 _Potato_ - Official i386 Binary-1 (20000814)]
then run apt-get update
DPKG
install - dpkg -i package.deb
remove/uninstall - dpkg -r package
List files asscoiated with package -dpkg -L package
Version - dpkg -l package
Unpack A deb - dpkg -unpack package.deb
APT
install - apt-get install <package>
search - apt-cache search <package>
remove - apt-get remove <package>
(When using apt-get to download off the Internet, the .deb files are placed in /var/cache/apt/archives)
Network Side

• Allow Hosts -edit/etc/hosts.allow     #Example Service:IP-ADDRESS
• Deny Hosts - edit /etc/hosts.allow      # Example ALL:ALL
• Hosts on Network - edit/etc/hosts
• #Example   IPADDRESS     HOSTNAME     HOSTNAME.DOMAINNAME
• Set Hostname - hostname <hostname>
• Nameservers - edit /etc/resolv.conf

KernelUpgrade(Refer to Joey's upgrading kernel guidefor full instructions.)
cp  linux-*.*.*.tar.gz ; tar zxvf linux-*.*.*.tar.gz ; mv linux /usr/src/linux-*.*.*
cd /usr/src/linux ; make menuconfig  (go to bottom save config to a file /usr/src/oldconfig)
rm /usr/src/linux ; ln -s /usr/src/linux-*.*.* ; cd /usr/src/linux
make menuconfig (go to bottom load up config file /usr/src/oldconfig, save and and exit)
make dep; make clean; make bzImage; make modules; make modules_install; make install ; reboot
   Sound Configuration
Redhat Distribution: run sndconfig
In Debian: Compile soundcard module into kernel
                        Edit /etc/modules
In Slackware: Compile module into kernel
                        Edit /etc/rc.d/rc.modules
Useful Information

• run cat on these files - cat /proc/<filename>
• Install nmap -nmap <Your IP>          <- Will list ports open
• Edit /etc/fstab- place in partitions and drives to be mount
• Edit /etc/inittab- Change Runlevel (ie X or Console)
• Edit /etc/inetd.conf- Add/Remove Services
• Edit /etc/syslog.conf - Information on log files
• Useful commands - free ; ps aux ; top
• Changing Window Manager in Debian - update-alternatives x-window-manager
• Changing Window Manager in Slackware -xwmconfig
• Progammer? Use Vim? - Edit .vimrcadd these lines

set autoindent
    syn on
    set cindent

Themes

Window Maker
mv wm-theme.tar.gz ~/GNUstep/Library/WindowMaker
cd ~/GNUstep/Library/WindowMake
tar zxvf wm-theme.tar.gz
(Right click, Work space>Appearance&gt;Themes&gt;WM-theme)
Enlightenment
mv e-theme.tar.gz /usr/share/enlightenment/themes/ || ~/.enlightenment/themes/
run e-conf

gtk
mkdir ~/themes ; mkdir ~/themes/gnome/
mv gtk-theme.tar.gz
gnomecc      (Desktop &gt;Theme selector)
Sawfish
cp sawfish-theme.tar.gz  /usr/share/sawmill || ~./sawmill/themes/