Client crashes immediately

My specs:

Ubuntu Dapper Drake
Gnome Desktop
X version 11.0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: RADEON 9800 Pro Generic
OpenGL version string: 2.0.5814 (8.25.1
1 GB RAM
Kernel: 2.6.15-23-686
Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.20GHz, 512 KB cache

I've downloaded the package and extracted it. When i run ./secondlife i get:

2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: OS info: Linux 2.6.15-23-686 #1 SMP PREEMPT Tue May 23 14:03:07 UTC 2006 i686
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: Loading feature tables.
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: Applying Feature Mask: RAM256MB
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: Applying Feature Mask: CPUSlow
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: QUEUED THREAD STARTING
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: Using configuration file /home/jeroen/Desktop/SecondLife_1_10_0_32/SecondLife/user_settings/settings.ini
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: LLControlGroup::loadFromFile unable to open.
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: LLControlGroup::loadFromFile unable to open.
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: Loading art table from viewerart.ini
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: Loading base colors from colors_base.ini
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: Loading user colors from colors.ini
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z WARNING: Bad or missing vfx index file /home/jeroen/Desktop/SecondLife_1_10_0_32/SecondLife/cache/index.db2.x.1
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z WARNING: Removing old vfs data file /home/jeroen/Desktop/SecondLife_1_10_0_32/SecondLife/cache/data.db2.x.1
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: Renaming /home/jeroen/Desktop/SecondLife_1_10_0_32/SecondLife/cache/data.db2.x.1 to /home/jeroen/Desktop/SecondLife_1_10_0_32/SecondLife/cache/data.db2.x.1092816520
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: Renaming /home/jeroen/Desktop/SecondLife_1_10_0_32/SecondLife/cache/index.db2.x.1 to /home/jeroen/Desktop/SecondLife_1_10_0_32/SecondLife/cache/index.db2.x.1092816520
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z WARNING: Can't open VFS data file /home/jeroen/Desktop/SecondLife_1_10_0_32/SecondLife/cache/data.db2.x.1092816520 attempting to use alternate
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z WARNING: Couldn't open vfs data file after trying many alternates
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z INFO: VFS: Using index file /home/jeroen/Desktop/SecondLife_1_10_0_32/app_settings/static_index.db2 and data file /home/jeroen/Desktop/SecondLife_1_10_0_32/app_settings/static_data.db2
2006-05-31T15:13:47Z WARNING: OSMessageBox: Second Life is unable to access a file that it needs.

What's wrong?

You are probably missing some folders. Try unpacking the client again with a command line tool (like tar) instead of a graphical archive tool.

See here: http://stux.wikiinfo.org/moin.py/FAQ