[Cialug] beginner here...

[David Champion]

Well, it depends on what's available in your distributions "repository" 
database (or whatever they call it). But there are thousands of programs 
you can install. If you can't find the exact one you want, chances are 
there is something similar available.

Different distributions have more or less strict rules about what can be 
included, based on the license. One example is the Pine text-based email 
client - some distros don't include it because of the particular license 
it is distributed under. For the distribution I use, Mandriva, there's 
an alternative source called the PLF (Penguin Liberation Front) that 
contains packages that may not be in the core repository due to 
licensing or legal issues. Of course, it's up to you to decide whether 
or not to install those kinds of packages.

-dc

Mike Davis wrote:
> OK, are you saying that almost anything I could possibly want is 
> available through synaptic?  If so, I had not realized that.
>
>
> On Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 11:00 PM, David Champion <dave at visionary.com 
> <mailto:dave at visionary.com>> wrote:
>
>     The best way to install an app in most Linux distributions is via
>     the package manager, if the package is available.
>
>     Go into Synaptic, and in search for "Frodo", the C64 emulator. Or
>     you might be able to search for "C64" and see if others are
>     available. (Sorry, I'm not a regular Ubuntu user, so I don't know
>     the exact method of doing this off the top of my head).
>
>     You can also use the command line tool, like "apt-cache search
>     frodo", and "apt-get install frodo". But for a beginner, Synaptic
>     is probably easier.
>
>     As a side note - you can still download programs from your web
>     browser just like you do in Windows, but what you do to install
>     them is going to be different. :)
>
>     -dc
>
>
>     Mike Davis wrote:
>
>         OK.  Well, basically, I thought I would first learn to install
>         something other than what's available through Synaptic.  I
>         have fond memories of my Commodore 64, so I thought I'd
>         install a c-64 emulator for practice, found here:
>
>         http://www.sourcefiles.org/Emulators/Commodore/
>
>         But the only thing the book is explaining to me is how to
>         download with synaptic.  It doesn't go into detail about how
>         to download misc. files off the web and actually make them run
>         (which of course you can do in windows with just a
>         double-click).  So I'm at a loss as to how to do this.  I'm
>         sure it's quite simple, once you guys teach me, but as of
>         right now I'm quite lost.
>
>         Once again, thanks for the welcome and the help.
>
>         Mike Davis
>
>
>         On Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 2:26 PM, Nathan Smith
>         <nathan.smith at ipmvs.com <mailto:nathan.smith at ipmvs.com>
>         <mailto:nathan.smith at ipmvs.com
>         <mailto:nathan.smith at ipmvs.com>>> wrote:
>
>            And the first rule of computer club.....
>
>            > -----Original Message-----
>            > From: cialug-bounces at cialug.org
>         <mailto:cialug-bounces at cialug.org>
>         <mailto:cialug-bounces at cialug.org
>         <mailto:cialug-bounces at cialug.org>>
>            > [mailto:cialug-bounces at cialug.org
>         <mailto:cialug-bounces at cialug.org>
>            <mailto:cialug-bounces at cialug.org
>         <mailto:cialug-bounces at cialug.org>>] On Behalf Of Mike Davis
>            > Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:52 PM
>            > To: Central Iowa Linux Users Group
>            > Subject: [Cialug] beginner here...
>            >
>            > ...and new member.  I hope to be at the meeting tomorrow.  I
>            > bought a Linux book, and I'm trying to wade through it, but
>            > I'm not doing too well.  I DID manage to load Ubuntu onto my
>            > computer by myself, and I'm running it now, but there's some
>            > things I haven't been able to figure out yet.  I don't
>            > suppose I could bother someone in this group to spend a
>            > little time with me to get me started?  Hopefully I'm not
>            > breaking any rules here by asking, I just don't know what
>            > else to do.  I DO know that if someone gets me started, I'll
>            > be able to figure out a lot on my own.
>            >
>            > Thanks,
>            > Mike Davis
>            >
>            >
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