As far as I know, IDL can be limited in number of executables to be produced and it depends on your license. If you want to create an executable, just produce a project and export it, beeing awared to introduce in the project options the name of the procedure to be called to start the project. (for details search in the help for "exporting a project") To call the executable just run ./name_of_the_project (check also if you have the rights) If you are not able to export, this will most probably depend on your licence and not on linux, windows or IDL. I hope I have been of some help!

The "student version" of IDL has the same permissions to create IDL '.sav' programs that regular developer IDL has; it is simply not as up-to-date in IDL version as regular developer IDL. The information on how to create '.sav' programs is in a section of IDL Online Help accessed through 'Contents tab page -> Programmer's Guides -> Building IDL Applications -> Part III: Creating Applications in IDL'. James Jones