From: Axel Kohlmeyer (akohlmey_at_cmm.chem.upenn.edu)
Date: Sun Apr 06 2008 - 20:21:11 CDT

On Mon, 7 Apr 2008, Peter Hains wrote:

PH> Hi all,

hi peter,

PH> I am trying to install VMD 1.8.6 on a Linux system. I'm still a Linux
PH> newbie, so I may be missing something quite obvious. First off I
PH> downloaded the Linux OpenGL and followed the instructions to install it.
PH>
PH> I didn't need to alter anything in the configure file, I just ran
PH> "./configure", "cd src", then "make install". I did this all from root.
PH>
PH> So far so good. I exit root and go to use VMD from my account and I get
PH> the following;
PH>
PH> bash: /usr/local/bin/vmd: /bin/csh: bad interpreter: No such file or
PH> directory

this is a known problem with several linux distributions
(most likely you're having ubuntu installed?), as they
don't install a c-shell. you have to install the 'tcsh'
or 'csh' package to alleviate this. /bin/csh used to be
a standard component on most unix-like operating systems,
but some linux distributions decided to get rid of it
to reduce maintenance efforts and save some miniscule
amount of disk space...

BTW, this is mentioned in the linux release notes for VMD.

[...]

PH> --Possible rant warning---
PH> As an aside, one of the problems I've always had with Linux (and the
PH> reason it's taken me this long to get around to trying to use it
PH> seriously) is that all the software seems to assume you are some sort of
PH> Linux guru and are intimate with editing obscure scripts and recompiling
PH> programs with various optional switches.

this can be a hard lesson, but this is the price for flexibility.
there is no such thing as a standard linux installation and many
linux distributions keep changing things over and over again.
for software that is not written for linux or a single version
of it alone, this is a very big challenge to stay working and
consistent across all platforms.

PH> isn't included in their list of programs I want to install via Synaptic
PH> (for example). So my suggestion is please spell it out for new users
PH> like me!! As much as I'd like to see the end of M$, at least you can
PH> just double click the exe and follow the prompts. I sometimes feel Linux
PH> is deliberately esoteric.

...or deliberatly flexible. yes, handling a linux machine properly
needs some more understanding of what is happening behind the scenes,
but that is a good thing. it is the "just click here and say yes to
all"-philosophy that makes windows software so complicated, as an
installation program has to find out everything about your system and
guess a lot, and with all guesses, they go wrong occasionally. one
simply cannot anticipate everything.

PH> I'm an advanced Windows user, I know how to install quirky programs and
PH> fiddle with the registry, but I'm still fumbling my way through Linux. I

please ask yourself: how long did it take you to get there?
should a windows user ever fiddle with the registry?

PH> have often been frustrated trying to find out where all the files are
PH> that I need to modify and install. I know it's part of a learning curve,
PH> but help is appreciated.
PH> ---End rant---

hope that clears some matters,
    axel.

PH>
PH> thanks,
PH>
PH> Peter
PH>
PH>

-- 
=======================================================================
Axel Kohlmeyer   akohlmey_at_cmm.chem.upenn.edu   http://www.cmm.upenn.edu
   Center for Molecular Modeling   --   University of Pennsylvania
Department of Chemistry, 231 S.34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6323
tel: 1-215-898-1582,  fax: 1-215-573-6233,  office-tel: 1-215-898-5425
=======================================================================
If you make something idiot-proof, the universe creates a better idiot.