Rpm

'rpm' is a utility for downloading, installing, and managing software packages. It is generally better to install packages via the yum utility, but not all software is available this way, so sometimes 'rpm' is the best option. You can access 'rpm' via the Terminal_Activity. If you are using 'rpm' to download the software, the XO will need Wifi_Connectivity.

Generally, you can install a package with 'rpm' like this:

su
rpm -ivh 'desired_software_package.rpm'
exit

That is, you use su to switch to "superuser" (or "root") mode, 'rpm' to install the software, then 'exit' from "superuser" mode. Note the single-quote characters (') around the filename. They are optional, but may be needed if the filename contains spaces or unusual characters.

You can also use 'rpm' to both download and install the software package in one step:

su
rpm -ivh 'http://www.website.com/path/to/desired_software_package.rpm'
exit

Sometimes 'rpm' has problems downloading the software package. You can try using wget to download the file, as it can sometimes download files that 'rpm' cannot:

wget 'http://www.website.com/path/to/desired_software_package.rpm'
su
rpm -ivh 'desired_software_package.rpm'
exit

You can read more about 'rpm' at the rpm homepage.