sudo apt-get install........are you serious

[ka0s]

So, I'm not sure if its just me, or linux is very misleading.
I read in the linux guide, if you want to install something, you first download it.....then in command terminal, sudo apt-get install 'name of program' and it will get it.

Heres my problem,
everytime I do that, it says cannot find.
I place the folders right on the desktop!!!
and if I open the folders up, there is no install files.
This is very frustrating,


Thanks,
ka0s

[oz]

Hello and welcome aboard!

You are not using APT properly. You can check this article for some instructions on using it:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AptGet/Howto

Most new Linux users will find using Synaptic an easier option for installing software:

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

[Manko10]

In case you misunderstood this: you don't have to download the packages yourself. When you issue apt-get it does the download for you. Of course you can also install packages you downloaded before but by default packages are fetches from the Internet automatically.

[sgosnell]

To install the packages you downloaded, use dpkg. You have to give it the complete path if you're not in the directory where they are. Or you can use Synaptic package manager to do it graphically. But as said above, you don't need to download the packages first, since apt-get will go and get them if you have an internet connection. If you have no internet connection on the machine you're installing to, then you have to put the packages on it manually, then installl with dpkg. "man dpkg" in a terminal will give you help on using it.

[ka0s]

Thanks guys, that is making things much more clear and understandable. I'm going to try this shortly

Thanks for the help,
ka0s

[Siddly]

You don't have to download anything if it's already in the repositories.
A few simple tips.
"sudo apt-cache search pulseaudio" as an example will display all the packages of that name that reside in the repositories in your /etc/apt/sources.list.

"sudo apt-get install <package>" or "sudo aptitude install <package>" will fetch the package and install it along with any other pre- or co-requisite packages.

If something you need is in another repository you can "sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-wine/ppa" as an example.

synaptic if you want to go the GUI way.

[three18ti]

You don't have to download anything if it's already in the repositories.
A few simple tips.
"sudo apt-cache search pulseaudio" as an example will display all the packages of that name that reside in the repositories in your /etc/apt/sources.list.

"sudo apt-get install <package>" or "sudo aptitude install <package>" will fetch the package and install it along with any other pre- or co-requisite packages.

If something you need is in another repository you can "sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-wine/ppa" as an example.

synaptic if you want to go the GUI way.

Ubuntu 11.+ (and even possibly 10.+) no longer comes pre packaged with aptitude. you'll need to:

sudo apt-get install aptitude

also, don't forget to update:

sudo apt-get update

[ka0s]

I try to download aptitude, and it says its only available from another source....

[masinick]

I may get some argument on this, but I see no reason to go out and get aptitude when you already have at least dpkg (the underlying package manager), apt-get, the command package manager that can pull in other required software when you request for a software change, and synaptic, a graphical interface to the underpinnings of dpkg and apt-get. Your specific system may even have an update-manager or software-manager. Why do you need more than that? Better to learn what you have have first and not add to it until you have a specific reason for doing so. Learn the basics first would be my recommendation.

[three18ti]

I try to download aptitude, and it says its only available from another source....

<SoapBoxMoment>
The quality of our help is directly dependent on the quality of information.
+ Please copy all error messages into code tags.
+ Please be specific with the steps you took.

When I do the thing I get the error and it doesn't work.

(This was a real answer I received on another forum...)
^This is what we call the problem with prepositions. Even in context I had no clue what this guy was on about...
</SoapBoxMoment>

I was able to install aptitude without errors via:

sudo apt-get install aptitude

Can you please paste the error message.

I may get some argument on this, but I see no reason to go out and get aptitude when you already have at least dpkg (the underlying package manager), apt-get, the command package manager that can pull in other required software when you request for a software change, and synaptic, a graphical interface to the underpinnings of dpkg and apt-get. Your specific system may even have an update-manager or software-manager. Why do you need more than that? Better to learn what you have have first and not add to it until you have a specific reason for doing so. Learn the basics first would be my recommendation.

I agree, all you need is apt-get and dpkg, though I hardly find occasion to use dpkg; everything is available in the repositories (especially when working on servers vs workstations). However, aptitude can be invoked via CLI just like apt-get; I have found occasion to use aptitude to install what apt-get calls 'virtual packages'--this was pre-10.04...

Better to learn what you have have first and not add to it until you have a specific reason for doing so.
This is the best advice.