Fermat runs as commands on the terminal.  This file is Mac-oriented, but if you have your own computer running Linux, it should be similar.  If you use ssh to access a Linux server, you should already know the ideas in points 1 - 5. 

Getting started:

1. Open the terminal.  See what folder it opens in.  It'll probably be the name of you, the user.  For example, when I open terminal I am inside the folder rlewis.   That's my username.  I see the command line prompt  
MAC-M1C65N: rlewis$

2. Download the gzip file.  It'll probably be inside downloads. The OS will probably expand it automatically, yielding a folder named Ferm7 or similar.  If not, double-click on the gzip file. 

3. Move the folder Ferm7a inside the folder from step 1.

4. Go to terminal (it's running now, from step 1) and enter  cd Ferm7.  cd is a linux/unix command, change directory.  If you get an error message, something wasn't done right.  The name of the folder doesn't have to be Ferm7; change it if you wish.

5.  Now type.   ./fer64.   That's it.  You should see something like this:

Fermat for Mac OSX, Intel64, rational C version 7.6a (c)1992, 1995-2024 by Robert H. Lewis
                                                       all rights reserved

This software is presented with no warranty expressed or implied. Type '?W' for details.

This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it under certain 
conditions; type '?C' for details.

Contribution of $US 60 suggested. Type '?P' for details. 

Reading initialization data from directory /Users/roberthlewis/ferm64/BACKWARD/
 initializing...

 Tue Sep 17 18:21:33 2024
 Amount of RAM you specified (mbytes): 28000.
 Timing enabled.
 O.K. to interrupt anytime. This might be dangerous.
 Columns to display is now: 
      120

>

The numbers 28000 and 120 are specified in the file ferstartup, inside BACKWARDS.  Read about that in the manual.  The 120 is the width of the display.  Experiment by changing it, using &_d, especially after step 9 below. 

6. Now read the first chapter in the manual and do the examples there.

7. To quit, type &q.  Alternatively do <cntl>D.

8. Continuing, try something with a polynomial variable:  attach an x with the command  &(J = x).

9.  Now try cubing x + 10:  enter (x+10)^3 (and hit return).  Try this with &_d set to 40 vs. 120.

10. To get an idea of what's going on, enter &g

11. If you are new to this, familiarize yourself with the terminal.  You can change the font, the number of lines to display, and lots of other things.