Just unpack the archive and run the Foldit application inside it.
I have a problem starting foldit. When i run it I get:
"Foldit Error: Could not load library: libglut.so.3: wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS64"
I run ArchLinux on a 64 bit machine. I guess i am supposed to install a new library, but i am not sure of which one exactly should I install. I'll give a few tries on all the lib with glut in their name i can find on the repository of my distro.
Ok I solved it by installing lib32-freeglut. I think this should be put in the readme file of the linux distribution though, because is not likely for a 64 bit user to ave that package.
Ubuntu 9.10: sudo apt-get install libfreeglut - And then it should work.
And if you are getting a flickering screen, try disabling Compiz. metacity –replace might be useful. Do compiz –replace afterwards to restore.
Put it on a desktop of it's own.
Otherwise you will still see flickering if you try metacity –replace (the windows behind will "flicker trough"). There's no such flickering if you put it on a seperate space with nothing behind it.
(The flickering has to do with OpenGL and window decorators. I'm not sure what in the combination that cause it, but avoid it.)
As a data point, I run Debian with the metacity window manager on my macbook (which has a nvidia card) and have never had flicker problems (nor with compiz). It may have to do with your specific graphics card.
It seems like it has to do with my driver (Radeon) and Kernel Mode Setting not being used.
(ATI Radeon mobile express x1200, in my laptop)
I'll try to figure out how to make the driver load with KMS on at boot.
More thinly disguised SPAM links in the above two messages.