Need help using sudo in Ubuntu

[petellgra]

Hi again, must admit this is harder than windows. Well here it goes, I tried install Gimp, but received: "Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), are you root?". I saw the article "Sticky: Using sudo in place of root login in Ubuntu" and guess it's relevant. And when I extract Blender it's just a bunch of inactive files. Not quitting although having trouble at the moment. If anyone can help I appreciate it.
Thanks in advance
Peter

[peteh]

You should use the Synaptic Package Manager to load new software. It does everything for you.
If you have to use a terminal then you can use

sudo apt-get install <package name>
password

Lookat this tutorial site for apt.

[oz]

Hello and welcome!

You should definitely consider using Synaptic for installing packages whenever possible because it will simply things greatly for you:

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

[Arizz]

Well, you might want to try ubuntu software center.

search and seclect the pakage and then click on install. IT will ask for a password and you can type your login password.

That should take care of it. The software center is kind of shopping mall. But as you keep using the system you will find it easier with the sudo command.

[zenwalker]

Hi again, must admit this is harder than windows. Well here it goes, I tried install Gimp, but received: "Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), are you root?". I saw the article "Sticky: Using sudo in place of root login in Ubuntu" and guess it's relevant. And when I extract Blender it's just a bunch of inactive files. Not quitting although having trouble at the moment. If anyone can help I appreciate it.
Thanks in advance
Peter

I. Getting to the Command Line Interface (CLI)
A. Use Terminal
B. Use Ctrl-Alt-F1 (F1 -F6) -- to "shell out" from the Graphical User Interface (GUI)
C. (Use Ctrl-Alt-F7 -- to re-enter the GUI)
II. Using the CLI
A. As sudo: with the first <sudo> command entered, one must enter his Login
password (the one asociated with his UserName). Use Terminal -- SAFE.
B. As root: shell out (I.B. above) and type, firstly,

  sudo passwd root 
  

Type the Login Password,
Then type the new UNIX passwd that will be associated with root
Do it a second time for confirmation
C. You may now type in the command:

 su -l 
  

Enter the newly created UNIX passwd and, voila, you are now root -- and free to cause all sorts of havoc with your new install of Linux if you are not sure of how to proceed. WARNING DANGEROUS (but convenient)!!

As for installing Gimp --
at the CLI (entered by one of the two methods outlined above, but I will assume you are in the Terminal mode) enter the command

 sudo apt-get build-dep gimp 
  

Once all dependencies are downloaded (if any errors are encountered, go to Ubuntu Help and look up "adding repositories"). enter the command

 sudo apt-get -f install gimp 
  

(try without -f if this does not do anything, but it should work in Ubuntu)

If one takes the time to learn APT-GET, the time spent will be returned many times over in the long run.

Buy OReilly's Linux in a Nutshell and . . .
Have so much more fun than you ever had with M$ Windoze!!

[kurtdriver]

Sudo has to be setup, though that's easily done. Edit You won't be able to use it until then. Open /etc/sudoers in any text editor. I believe Ubuntu comes with gedit, it'll work just fine.
Welcome to Linux and the forums.
Kurt

Edit: Only root can edit that file. In the terminal window, type suand press enter. It will ask for the root password. Type that , press enter and then gedit /etc/sudoers.
Disregard the bit in that file to the effect that it can only be edited with the visudo command. That's for large networks with multiple administrators.
Go to the line that says root ALL=(ALL) ALL and copy it and paste it onto the line below it, changing root to your username.
Save and issue future root level commands with prefaced with sudo. The password it will ask for is that of the user you added to the sudoers file.

[petellgra]

Hi,
Thanks everyone, the help is great. I found sudo apt-get install <program> easy but having trouble downloading certain things. Does anyone know if Ubuntu Studio is any good, I downloaded it but now have to burn a CD as ISO on Ubuntu and install it.
You Guys are Great
Thanks and Ubuntu is faster for what I do but at the moment a little limited.
Peter

[kurtdriver]

Well, you've already downloaded it, so we're waiting for the first review from downunder!

The reviews seem mixed thus far, but I was just looking at the google results page for "ubuntu studio review". Good Luck!