this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2023
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Linux

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Try command line?

dpkg -i /path/to/package.deb

That's likely an app just not installed by default for GUI

[–] [email protected] 57 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Correct, but new users don't want to need the command line for something as simple as installing packages.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 year ago (35 children)

New users probably shouldn't be installing .debs, especially if they don't know about terminal commands. I've seen so many fucked up systems from people treating Linux as Windows, as in installing everything by searching for stuff on their browser, downloading an installer and installing that.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago

Problem is a lot of closed source software still release their software as .deb or .rpm packages that installs their repos so you can install their software from the software centre.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Tell them to install via flatpak. Spotify, Discord and so on should be available as flatpak via Gnome Software or the KDE software center. NOW on Ubuntu, this is anyone's guess. I'm guessing there is no flatpak support by default. Ubuntu is doing the linux community a disservice.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I'm telling them that because it is a poor idea. But preferably the system should fix user mistake and behind the scenes just install Discord from repo or flatpak, with option to bypass this behaviour for those who know what they're doing.

Preferably these software vendors would know to guide users towards proper ways of installing stuff, but that's not happening.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Add a GUI desktop entry for that, assign .deb file mimetype to it, bam. A usable experience.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Or just install gdebi.

[–] _I_ 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Personally prefer

apt install /path/to/package.deb

Both do the exact same thing, though.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

This or aptitude is usually better because dpkg won't install dependencies by default