Before you can run Mathematica you will have to obtain a password from Wolfram that corresponds to your `machine ID.'
Once you have installed the linux compatibility runtime libraries and unpacked the mathematica you can obtain the `machine ID' by running the program `mathinfo' in the Install directory.
% cd /usr/local/Mathematica/Install
% mathinfo
LINUX: 'ioctl' fd=5, typ=0x89(), num=0x27 not implemented
richc.isdn.bcm.tmc.edu 9845-03452-90255
%
When you register with Wolfram, either by email, phone or fax, you will give them the 'machine ID' and they will respond with a corresponding password consisting of groups of numbers. You need to add them both along with the machine name and license number in your mathpass file.
You can do this by invoking:
% cd /usr/local/Mathematica/Install
% math.install
After getting past the password, math.install will ask you if you accept the install defaults provided, or if you want to use your own. If you are like us and distrust all install programs, you probably want to specify the actual directories. Beware. Although the math.install program asks you to specify directories, it will not create them for you, so you should perhaps have a second window open with another shell so that you can create them before you give them to the install program. Or, if it fails, you can create the directories and then restart the math.install program. The directories we chose to create beforehand and specify to math.install were:
/usr/local/Mathematica/bin for binaries
/usr/local/Mathematica/man/man1 for man pages
/usr/local/Mathematica/lib/X11 for the XKeysymb file
The Mathematica Notebook feature is included separately, as the X Front End, and you have to install it separately. To get the X Front End stuff correctly installed, cd into the /usr/local/Mathematica/FrontEnd directory and execute the ./xfe.install shell script. You will have to tell it where to put things, but you do not have to create any directories because it will use the same directories that had been created for math.install. When it finishes, there should be a new shell script in /usr/local/Mathematica/bin called "mathematica".
Lastly, you need to modify each of the shell scripts that Mathematica has installed. At the beginning of every shell script in /usr/local/Mathematica/bin add the following line:
XKEYSYMDB=/usr/local/Mathematica/lib/X11/XKeysymDB; export XKEYSYMDB
On 2.1-STABLE you need to add the following as well:
RESOLV_HOST_CONF=/compat/linux/etc/host.conf; export RESOLV_HOST_CONF
You might also want to modify your /etc/manpath.config file to read the new man directory, and you may need to edit your ~/.cshrc file to add /usr/local/Mathematica/bin to your path.
That is about all it takes. With this you should be able to type "mathematica" and get a really slick looking Mathematica Notebook screen up. Mathematica has included the Motif user interfaces, but it is compiled in statically, so you do not need the Motif libraries. Good luck doing this yourself!