Am I in the right place?

[Chrisgayle]

Hello,
I am a long time window user, but slowly I shifted from windows to Linux, but during this I find that I don't know lots of basic things about Linux, I ready to learn but I have some very odd and weird question about Linux and I didn't find answers easily, so I think let's ask the others so that's why I join this community,
So am I in the right place? Because I didn't want to annoyed anyone.
Also if I am allowed then whenever you thing that my queries are cringe, wrong, annoying, etc etc, just let me know, I promise you I never disturb anyone, my intention is not bad.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

Welcome to the forums!
Yeah, you're in right place because Linux.org is noob friendly forum.

Over time you'll notice that some people are unfriendly towards linux newbies.
I read a lot of documentation and practice various stuff on my own so I'm not so much bothered.

From your perspective to avoid pushbacks make sure you supply as much information about your system as you can so that people can identify your problem and hopefully fix it.

Anyway the best way to learn linux is to use it and practice daily, waiting for help on forums and youtube sucks because it's too slow, at least for my taste.

 

[Chrisgayle]

Thanks @CaffeineAddict
Well my first question is in windows to install any software basically I download it and click install executive file. There are other ways too but mostly people follow this.
But in Linux I see that mostly people use command line to install any software directly from internet,
But I want to do like window I want to download a file and install it offline without internet, so assume somehow I download the file, now what I do now in Linux what is the executive file normally have what format it normally have and normally how to run it.
In windows most of the time the downloaded file is compressed in zip or rar, so is that also common in Linux I guess it is because then lots of files need to download except one compressed directory so in Linux what is that and how to deal with that.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

Yeah there are no GUI installers to install software in linux.

First thing to know is that 90% of the time software is installed not from random sites on the internet but instead from package repository of your distribution.

Every Linux distribution has it's own package repository so for instance if you're using Debian then you'd be installing software from Debian's repository.
In those rare cases where the software you which to install is not in the repository you can simply download the installer from publisher or developer's website.

In both cases the installer extension is distribution specific, for Debian that's *.deb file
When installing from debian's repository you use built in package manager called apt which is a command line program used to install from repository.
Other distributions might have their own package managers.

And when downloading the *.deb file from some website you instead use program called dpkg which in similar fashion installs the *.deb package onto system.

installer programs are called packages because they're *.deb files, that is they have specific extension which depends on distro you're using, which install everything that is needed to run the installed program.

There are other options on how to install software, mostly GUI frontends around apt and dpkg package managers such as synaptic which have GUI to install packages.

There are also GUI programs like flatpak that work in similar fashion how MS store works, but I don't like these solutions.

 

[Terminal Velocity]

There are GUI software managers in most distributions that allow you to install programs without need for command line. There are also entire programs to download from the web that are executable like in Windows (appimage) and they no need any installation

 

[Brickwizard]

But in Linux I see that mostly people use command line to install any software

Welcome to the forums
depending on your choice of distribution most of the popular ones have a repository which contains most of what you need, using the terminal is does not have be excessive, But if you choose one of the more specialist builds then the more you will need to use it

 

[kc1di]

Hello @Chrisgayle,
Welcome to Linux.org forum. I often recommend this page to new linux users it will help you learn the basics.

Home | Linux Journey

linuxjourney.com

Enjoy the journey!

 

[KGIII]

But I want to do like window I want to download a file and install it offline without internet, so assume somehow I download the file, now what I do now in Linux what is the executive file normally have what format it normally have and normally how to run it.

This is possible but difficult. You'll find the packages have dependencies and your system can resolve those dependencies automatically. You'd otherwise need to download any dependencies that you'd install before then installing the package you downloaded.

Installing in the terminal is just plain easy - and often faster once you get used to it. You'll likely be in the Debian family, so sudo apt install ~/Path/to/file.deb will usually get you sorted out. If it's from the default repositories (which is where you should get your software) you'd use sudo apt install package_name. It's amazingly quick, easy, and informative.

Yeah there are no GUI installers to install software in linux.

...

You may want to revisit that.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

You may want to revisit that.

I have so far not seen any that would look like windows installers that let you click next-next-next-install

Synaptic, flatpak etc. doesn't count, these are not installers.

 

[KGIII]

Synaptic, flatpak etc. doesn't count, these are not installers.

Then what are they?

I'd call them GUI software installers.

 

[Chrisgayle]

Thanks @CaffeineAddict ok now I understand that Linux mainly uses packages repository and uses command to execute it well it's new to me but I learn it, I started to use ubuntu latest version, I am ok with CLI afterall if I move to new system I must need to adapt myself accordingly otherwise there is no meaning to come to new system.
So mainly I need to learn download packages and execute it as per distro which is ubuntu in my case.

And when downloading the *.deb file from some website you instead use program called dpkg which in similar fashion installs the *.deb package onto system.

Ok this one is completely goes above my head, sorry my bad.

There are GUI software managers in most distributions that allow you to install programs without need for command line. There are also entire programs to download from the web that are executable like in Windows (appimage) and they no need any installation

Thanks sir can anyone give me any link to know more about this if possible.

 

[Chrisgayle]

Welcome to the forums
depending on your choice of distribution most of the popular ones have a repository which contains most of what you need, using the terminal is does not have be excessive, But if you choose one of the more specialist builds then the more you will need to use it

Thanks @Brickwizard sir I will try it.

 

[Chrisgayle]

Hello @Chrisgayle,
Welcome to Linux.org forum. I often recommend this page to new linux users it will help you learn the basics.

Enjoy the journey!

Yeah sure @kc1di I read it thanks

 

[CaffeineAddict]

Then what are they?

I'd call them GUI software installers.

They're are GUI package managers or front ends which work similar to Microsoft store.
Installers on the other hand are programs which install a single program or package, they don't manage anything in bulk.

now I understand that Linux mainly uses packages repository and uses command to execute it well it's new to me but I learn it, I started to use ubuntu latest version, I am ok with CLI afterall if I move to new system I must need to adapt myself accordingly otherwise there is no meaning to come to new system.

The most beautiful thing you'll learn about linux is you'll become an expert in a sense that you'll understand how OS's work under the hood.
There is beauty in this, the more you learn the more you wanna know, beginnings are very hard, but with enough effort and practice you'll start to enjoy it!

I suggest you to write down everything you learn, make short tutorial style notices in files to revisit when needed, there is too much to remember everything.
If you try to memorize everything you do, you'll certainly fail and lose interest.

 

[Chrisgayle]

This is possible but difficult. You'll find the packages have dependencies and your system can resolve those dependencies automatically. You'd otherwise need to download any dependencies that you'd install before then installing the package you downloaded.

Thanks @KGIII
Ok this one really difficult,
I didn't understand why software/packages doesn't come with all dependencies. Like in windows if any software need any dependency like "*. net framework " or "c++ runtime environment" the software package come with that too most of the time in some cases if dependency missing or need then the installer tell it that it need that dependency or missing it.
Why not Linux has this system if any dependency need for packages then give it with pakage or tell the user it need these dependency first installment those.

 

[Terminal Velocity]

Thanks sir can anyone give me any link to know more about this if possible.

I just found this site, it even has a video embedded

AppImage

Linux apps that run anywhere

appimage.org

 

[KGIII]

They're are GUI package managers or front ends which work similar to Microsoft store.

Packages contain software. I dunno about the MSFT store, but I'd still call them GUI software installers.

They can also be used to uninstall software, but that doesn't mean they aren't a graphical way to install software.

I find your definition weird, though I suppose you probably think the same of mine.

I didn't understand why software/packages doesn't come with all dependencies.

To avoid bloat and so that dependencies can be shared among different pieces of software. This also provides consistency - a consistent target for programmers.

There are package management systems that do contain all the dependencies. Those would be things like Snaps (from Ubuntu), AppImages which are quite portable, and Flatpak which has its own repository and runs in an isolated environment.

Why not Linux has this system if any dependency need for packages then give it with pakage or tell the user it need these dependency first installment those.

Assuming you do things the 'correct' way, dependencies should resolve themselves and automatically during the software installation process - for the major distros.

If you use apt in Ubuntu, it'll resolve the dependencies (assuming those dependencies can be resolved) automatically. You really don't have to worry about them unless you put yourself in a position where you need to worry about them.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

I find your definition weird, though I suppose you probably think the same of mine.

You can ask any software developer what they think is an "installer" and I'm pretty sure they'll tell you the same thing.

But otherwise I agree with you that installing packages (or software) isn't limited to CLI, I'm just not fan of these UI solutions because it's painfully hard to navigate thousands of packages trough UI, I find it much easier to do it in a terminal.

Synaptic for instance has too sluggish UI for my taste and difficult to navigate, and that's due to the count of packages listed there.

 

[Brickwizard]

I didn't understand why software/packages doesn't come with all dependencies.

you only need to install a dependency once, the next time you install an application that needs the same dependency it is already there , this is the Linux way, it reduces bloat, avoids conflicts and simplifies things ..

When you install from a package manager, it will tell you what if any additional dependencies you need and will install them for you

 

[KGIII]

You can ask any software developer what they think is an "installer" and I'm pretty sure they'll tell you the same thing.

LOL I've developed software. I've written many tens of thousands of lines of code.

None of it all that good - but it worked!

Though, to be sure that I'm being clear...

These days, I'm on the same team as the Lubuntu dev team but my role is in testing. I don't do any development work. I am official member, but I don't do any coding. I do a little PHP scripting when I have to.