How to install deb packages

[design_engineer]

Please HELP!
I am tired of Microsoft Windows. So I am going to try Linux. I downloaded the ISO
file and installed it. It did fine.
My problem is I can't figure out how to install additional packages. Can someone
tell me exactly what I need to type in to install packages from E: my CRDOM.
Where can I download the complete GNOME DESKTOP package.
Also, I am using Netzero Dial UP. Can you help me with this also.

Thanks for your time,
design_engineer

[oz]

Hello and welcome to the forums!

The easiest way (in my opinion) to install software under Debian is by using apt, or by using the GUI front-end that goes with it should you choose to install it:

http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/lin...tml#post344058

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticHowto

Note that the above Synaptic HowTo was written for Ubuntu, but much of it should work with Debian as well. Note that you will have some slow package installations if you use dialup only.


To install .deb packages, you can go to a terminal or console and change to the directory where your .deb is stored, then type the following command:

dpkg -i package_name.deb

For some quick and easy lessons on using the Linux command line, check out LinuxCommand.org.

[arochester]

1) Make sure you have Gdebi installed.

2) RIGHT click on the .deb

3) Choose "Install with Gdebi"

Job done.

[TheBigPhish]

to the O.P.

If you downloaded "just an .iso" file, there is a possibility that you got a barebones system, and if you do not have a windowing system installed, then you will be unable to access synaptic.

try aptitude at the prompt, does not require X11 to be installed to work!.

[kabars_edge]

design_engineer,

Using dial-up it may take days or weeks to install the X-windowing system for your machine. I would try to find some broadband somewhere to install the rest of the system. However, as Big Fish said, the CD you have probably is only barebones. If it's not, and you have the full CD set, all you need to do is start installing the software you want.

apt-get install xorg
apt-get install gnome

So on and so forth. Otherwise, if you do just have the net install image, you need to edit your /etc/apt/sources/list file and add something that looks like this:

deb http : //debian.lcs.mit.edu/debian/ squeeze main non-free contrib
deb-src http : //debian.lcs.mit.edu/debian/ squeeze main non-free contrib

deb http : //mirror.anl.gov/debian/ squeeze main non-free contrib
deb-src http : //mirror.anl.gov/debian/ squeeze main non-free contrib

deb http : //security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http : //security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free

deb http : //debian.lcs.mit.edu/debian/ squeeze-updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http : //debian.lcs.mit.edu/debian/ squeeze-updates main contrib non-free

Then you can use apt to install from the net just as I showed you above. If you copy and paste the insert from my sources.list file, be sure to remove the spaces. The forum was complaining about me posting URLs.

HTH,

KaBar's Edge
Linux User #431029