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I was toying with Ubuntu and tried to download/install some apps, what a pain it was. I think the system they have in place for installing is too complex.

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I've deleted the comments, if Ultra has a disagreement as to why this was closed he can start a question on meta.stackoverflow.com – Ivo Flipse♦ Apr 28 '10 at 6:35

closed as not a real question by Josh K, Sathya♦, MDMarra, Phoshi, heavyd Apr 26 '10 at 16:08

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4 Answers

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Here is a web-page that explains how to install software in Ubuntu.

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/installingsoftware

Most Windows users who migrate to Ubuntu end up confused about software installation. They go to a website, download a .tar.gz file, double-click it, and don't see a Next-Next-Next-Finish wizard. This tutorial is intended to introduce you to the preferred methods of software installation in Ubuntu.

Rather than leaving it up to the user to track down installer files and keep applications updated, Ubuntu (like many other Linux distributions) has a software package management system that provides a searchable database of easily installable applications (like an online shopping cart but the software is cost-free), which it will download and install for you with a few clicks.

For those of you with smartphones, it's a very similar process to installing applications using the iTunes App Store or Android Market.

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For things that are in the package manager of your chosen distro, it's almost always as easy as installing Windows applications. If what you need is not packaged for your distro, or is unsupported or otherwise not in the package manager then you're potentially into the shell, messing with conf files and really needing to know what you're doing. – Alan B Mar 23 '12 at 9:18
up vote 1 down vote

The preferred way of installing software is via the package manager - either you find the program in "Add/Remove Programs", or download and (in Ubuntu) double-click the package (usually a .deb file).

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You open up the synaptic package manager. Click reload so it gets the updated list of available programs.

Now, click the search button and search for a program you want eg: mp3 player. Find one that is appropriate from the list and right click -> mark for installation. Then click apply and confirm the install, it should download and install the selected packages ALL BY ITSELF. Only rarely is there next clicking but only rarely. Once done your newly installed program can be found in the application menu!

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This system seems quite rigid. Some of the smaller less known apps will surely not be listed. – ULTRA_POROV Apr 25 '10 at 16:33
Actually, I think you will be pleasantly surprised to find that with all unix systems, the package managers list apps of all sizes. I have found that only very rarely do I have to install a package manually. – mechko Apr 25 '10 at 16:52
@ULTRA_POROV: You should find that there is a package (they are called packages in the linux world) to do nearly everything, no matter how complex. By the time you need tools to do obscure things that are custom made, should be able to EASILY INSTALL THEM YOURSELF. usually done by doing the 3 commands after unpacking the file: ./configure; make; make install – Jonno_FTW Apr 25 '10 at 17:00
up vote 0 down vote

a 'setup' package in ubuntu is a .deb (or a .rpm for many others) - double clicking on a deb will open up gdebi and install it.

For quick and dirty packaging for many distros you can use checkinstall.

Of course package managers are better since you get dependancy handling, and in many cases a decent central GUI, and a consistant installer process

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