I can't run a file.

[Andrew Pam]

Garry Trethewey wrote:
> I've just used synaptic to install clam anti-virus on ubuntu 6.06.1 
> dapper. Seems to have done what it's supposed to, but it didn't put clam 
> in the menu, and I can't find it to run it.

Clam for Linux doesn't come with a GUI, so it won't appear on any menus. 
  It only comes with a command-line tool and a daemon.

> top
> doesn't show it running.

Correct.  It won't start automatically, you will have to run it 
manually.  You need to know which directories you expect to have Windows 
viruses before using clam anyway.

> If it was WinXP I'd find the xxxx.exe, make a shortcut, stick that in 
> the menu, and Bob would be my uncle.
> 
> In linux, how will I find the executable file, how will I recognize it 
> as such?

"apropos clam" should find you the manual pages.
You should be able to just run "clamscan" or if the daemon is running, 
"clamscand" to scan files and/or directories.  "which clamscan", 
"whereis clamscan" or "locate clamscan" will find the executable for you.

> Similar sorts of questions for clam-daemon, freshclam, clamav-docs etc.

Read the manual pages, or "locate clam", or use your package tools to 
list the package contents.

> As a side question, there seems to be a "common wisdom" that linux never 
> gets virii anyway, is it reasonable not to bother with an anti-virus?

That depends.  Clam primarily checks for Windows viruses and email 
attacks, so it's mostly useful to scan any email or shared network files 
to avoid passing on Windows viruses.  If you are not running an email 
server or a file server, you may not want to bother learning how to set 
up anti-virus software on Linux.

Regards,
	Andrew