Standard maxima installation under Linux?

On 2/11/06, Robert Dodier <robert.dodier at gmail.com> wrote:
> hello james,
>
> > 1) Is there a standard installation directory for Maxima under Linux
> > systems?  The download on sourceforge looks like a zip file, and like
> > I said I have little experience with Linux.  I would like to allow my
> > program to autodetect Maxima if it can.
>
> you need an rpm (precompiled binaries + supporting files and
> packaging information) for your linux system.
> what is your linux distribution?

I actually don't have a distro (although I know where one computer is
that I can test it on).  I want to make it usable on as many systems
as possible.  However, my program is going to be distributed by an
educational distro known as OpenLab GNU/Linux, and I would
particularly like it to be easily usable on that system.

>
> don't worry about where files go -- rpm takes care of that.
> also, don't bother with the zip / tar / tar.gz files, those are
> for people who are going to recompile maxima.
>
> > 2) Once Maxima is installed (or just downloaded) how does one start
> > the program from the command line?  Basically, where is the
> > "executable", and what is its name?  Are any command-line options
> > needed?  Etc.
>
> just enter "maxima" to launch it from the command line.
> there aren't any required options.
>
> what is the method by which your front end is going to
> talk to maxima?

It is a Java program that uses Maxima as an external process,
communicating via streams.  I think this is completely analgous to
having my program sit down at a console and start typing.

Am I right in thinking that the users current directory doesn't matter
when starting maxima, as long as it has been installed?  That was my
biggest problem under windows.  If so, then implementing this should
be relatively easy.

>
> hope this helps,
> robert dodier
>