[NBLUG/talk] What kind of file is "...-rpm.bin"?

[ME]

Todd Cary said:
> I have downloaded a Java plugin
>
> j2re-1_4_2_01-linux-i586-rpm.bin
>
> What kind of file is this?  Do I use the rpm utility?

Many times, downloaded files explicitly for Linux that end with *.binuse a
packaging format that allows then to act like "self extracting
executables.

If it is one of these files, and you genuinely trust the makers, then try
this:
$ chmod 755 j2re-1_4_2_01-linux-i586-rpm.bin
and from the same directory as the file do this:
(preferrably in X from a terminal window)
$ ./j2re-1_4_2_01-linux-i586-rpm.bin
(to "run" the file.

See what happens.

(Note: you should really trust the file and makers of the file when you do
this, as  you will be running (or trying to run) their code as your UID.

You may just get an RPM back, or it may launch an installer for you, or it
may give you an error...

I'd like to hear if this was actually what problem you faced. (Feedback
welcome.)

-ME