opening '.bin' files

This installer needs to be run in a terminal window.
1. Run Applications, Accessories, Terminal.

2. Type "sudo bash LOCATION" without quotes, replacing "LOCATION" with the full location of GoogleEarthLinux.bin. You can paste this location by drag-and-drop-ing the file GoogleEarthLinux.bin file onto the terminal window. Press enter to run it.
3. I started the command above with "sudo" because the installer probably needs to be run as a root user (administator). If you're happy to do this, type your password when prompted. Otherwise press enter with no password and do step 2 again with "bash" instead of "sudo bash"

4. The installer may ask some questions or download files from the internet.
5. Reasons it might not install:
5a. If it asks about the locations of files, you can find the answer by typing "locate SOMETHING" and pressing enter, eg "locate libGL.so". Open a new terminal window if needed. This is case-sensitive.
5b. You may need to install opengl by typing "sudo apt-get install libgl1-mesa-dri libgl1-mesa-glx" into a new terminal window. You might even need to install the opengl development files "sudo apt-get install libgl1-mesa-dev"

6. You can then run it by typing "/usr/local/google/google-earth/googleearth" into the terminal window and pressing enter (according to http://earth.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=44713).
7. If it runs successfully, right click on the desktop and create a launcher with the "command" set to "/usr/local/google/google-earth/googleearth".

Well this is what you need to do first.

1. Open a terminal and type this

sudo chmod a+x /path/to/the/file

This command makes the file excutable.

2. This next part can be done two ways

a. sh ./filename.bin
b ./filename.bix

If you need clarification, let me know :)

Here is another way to do. This is most likely simpler.

http://ubuntu-tutorials.com/2008/11/14/install-google-earth-on-ubuntu-810-intrepid-ibex/

Play mp3 and dvd under Ubuntu install skype googleearth acroread and other stuffs using Medibuntu

First please install https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats

You need to have extra repositories enabled..

Please first enable the universe and multiverse repository:

Open System → Administration → Software sources → [ Tab Ubuntu software ]

enable "Community-mainteined Open Source software ( universe )"
enable "Proprietary drivers for devices ( restricted )"
enable "Software restrictecd by copyright or legal issue ( multiverse )"

Close and confirm the repository reload.

Type the following command in a terminal (applications → accessories → terminal)

sudo aptitude install vlc

To get better dvd playback and optional packages here the medibuntu available software list http://packages.medibuntu.org/
you need to add the medibuntu http://www.medibuntu.org/ repository to your /etc/apt/sources.list file:
( here the medibuntu howto https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Medibuntu but see below )

In short type or better copy and paste the rows, below one row a time then press enter:

ubu_codename=$(sudo lsb_release -c | cut -d: -f 2 | sed 's/^[ \t]*//;s/[ \t]*$//')
sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/$ubu_codename.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list
wget -q http://packages.medibuntu.org/medibuntu-key.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add - && sudo apt-get update

Now to install, type:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras
sudo aptitude install libdvdread3 libdvdnav4 libdvdcss2 regionset gnome-mplayer
sudo aptitude install non-free-codecs w32codecs
sudo aptitude install gstreamer0.10-pitfdll gstreamer0.10-plugins-good
sudo aptitude install gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse

give your user password when requested, you don't see nothing when you type it, then press enter.

You can also install other Medibuntu repository provided optional software http://packages.medibuntu.org/ :

sudo apt-get install skype
sudo apt-get install googleearth
sudo apt-get install acroread

Hope this helps