I'm wondering about installing applications in Linux (Ubuntu)?

Question

I'm new to Linux and I'm thinking about installing Ubuntu on my computer. However, I'm wondering how you are supposed to install applications. For instance, in Windows, .exe files are files that you double click to install applications. What are executable Linux Install files called? And do you just double click on the file?

Answer 1

Its an iso image file you have to burn onto a cd or dvd...beware, to delete linux you will have to completly re-install your system unless you set-up dual booting.

Answer 2

I believe they are wondering how to install applications within Linux, not Linux itself. I've used Linux but not as my main system, so I'm not entirely sure. But after going to some sites for applications that also run under Linux and checking their download sections, what you do is you download a .deb file. I'm not sure what to do from there, but all I know is that it isn't just like clicking a .exe file in Windows and running it. But this is a good thing! That's one of the reasons why Windows is so virus-prone. Be happy that the one application you'll never have to install for Linux is antivirus.



I hope this helps. And a quick Google search revealed some stuff about installing under Linux but I couldn't find anything about what you were looking for, at least not right away. But I'm sure a little digging around on the Ubuntu website will reveal more information.

Answer 3

It is important to point out that Ubuntu is not Windows. There is a whole different philosophy behind any Linux distribution than there is behind Windows. With Windows, usually independent software vendors are responsible for seeing that their programs will install and run on Windows. Most Linux distros, explicitly including Ubuntu, will tweak most programs to make sure they run smoothly with other programs on the distro. So when you want a program like gimp or ISOWriter you go to Ubuntu's repositories rather than to the gimp or whatever home page unless you have good reason (and I run firefox from Mozilla on my Debian box rather than firefox -- or IceWeasel as it's called -- from the Debian repositories.



When you install Ubuntu, it installs a package management system which includes programs like dpkg, apt, Synaptic and Update-Notifier. You will usually be dealing with the last two, which call the first two as part of their processes. apt handles downloading, and lists the repositories it uses in a file called /etc/apt/sources.list. Usually Ubuntu will ask you to be specific about what repositories it selects during installation. When you want to update the system, you can do it by opening a terminal and typing "sudo apt-get update" and "sudo apt-get upgrade" (because Linux is a Unix derivative), or you can search your menuj for Synaptic and update notifier, and use those. If the program you want is not available from the repositories you can edit that file I mentioned (Ubuntu forums will help you understand how) or you can surf over to the program vendor's web site, if it is not available. It won't be as reliable as an Ubuntu-specific version, but it will usually run.



Since you are just starting out, and since Linux is a different Operating System which takes getting used to, I suggest surfing over to:



http://www.wubi-installer.org



finding out about Wubi, defragmenting your hard drive and installing it using Wubi. It does this without repartitioning your hard drive and it runs on top of Windows -- that does make it a little less stable but really installing it can, among other things, void the warranty on your computer and it's worthwhile to decide you like it or not before taking a step as drastic as that.

Answer 4

anything you will ever need for Linux is going to be free. in Ubuntu you have whats called terminal, which is the Linux version of command. in Linux programs are called packages, you can either download these and install them, or go into terminal



run a query for your program



$ sudo apt-cache search wine





after you found your match you can run a



$sudo apt-get install wine



which will then install wine, wine is a package developed for Linux to be able to support certain windows programs.



check out the Ubuntu forums, all the help you need will be there.

Answer 5

domicile windows 7 is extra straightforward than Ubuntu or Linux Mint??? -you gotta be kidding!!! domicile windows 7 may be extra person pleasant than domicile windows Vista......i will comply with that. in case you'd be operating video games...then domicile windows 7, or XP. in case you do not especially "favor" domicile windows, then Linux mint 9 is astonishing, Mint 8 is massive. Any of the ten.04 'buntu's are large- Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Kubuntu.