More questions

[CallaB]

o last night I finally got round to install Ubuntu. Installed it inside windows from wubi until I'm comfortable with it enough and then its bye bye windows.

In the software center, to install a program do I just click on it when I'm connected to the web?

Will normal windows installers work? Like for vlc and winrar?

Sorry its stupid questions I know.

Thanx

 

[Nod]

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/installingsoftware
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InstallingSoftware

Just search for "vlc" and "rar" within the package manager.

 

[CallaB]

Thanx. Another question. What is root? I see it alot in Linux manuals.In my user list there is one named root. Why is it there?

 

[Happy Camper]

root has system privileges, so when you install packages or are doing major system config changes you usually do that in root. So you log into ubuntu with a normal user account, and then if doing something like installing packages through Synaptic it will ask you for root password as Synaptic opens. It gets a bit of getting used to as a new user but you'll get used to it, this way your system is mostly safe from viruses and other problems that could arise if your system was a wide open book, as with windows :wtf:

 

[Roo!]

Root is simply the super user of the system, MS calls it Administrator. When one needs to do something that is OS altering then one needs to do it as root. Ubuntu does not strictly use root, it uses a permissions based system where one is able to run a command as if root. This is called 'sudo' which means 'do as super user'. This alleviates the problems associated with running commands as root when you thought you were yourself like 'cd /; chmod -R 777 *;'. If you were logged in as yourself the OS would tell you that you have insufficient privileges to run the chmod command but as root you could change all files in the system to globally readable, writeable and executable.

When one uses the sudo command one enters one's own password.

 

[CallaB]

When I try to install software from software canter it doesnt give me the option to install. It says not avalible in current data. Please help

 

[Ockie]

When I try to install software from software canter it doesnt give me the option to install. It says not avalible in current data. Please help

Make sure you are connected to the net (it needs to download the application) and perhaps also make sure all your repositries are enabled.

 

[CallaB]

Make sure you are connected to the net (it needs to download the application) and perhaps also make sure all your repositries are enabled.

What is that?

 

[Ockie]

mmm how to explain. A repositry is where Ubuntu gets its software and updates from. Go look for "software sources" and tick all of them and the 3rd party one also. Sorry, I am sitting infront of my damn windowze work PC so I cant check now exactly where it is. Perhaps someone can explain it better than me.

 

[CallaB]

Thank you. Will check tonight.

 

[hawker]

Normal windows installers will not work. You have to get software from the repos (like a huge download site) - its all done automatically, you just click what you want and it will install it for you.

You might also want to install the Ubuntu-restricted-extras package - it will install True Type fonts and codecs that will allow you to play mp3s and the like.

 

[CallaB]

Getting to grips with Ubuntu now. Have a few Linux manuals ( Rute, and others about understanding scripts) to work through. Loving linux. It just keeps on dropping my internet connection. But even that is ok. Still better than windoz.

 

[Ockie]

Getting to grips with Ubuntu now. Have a few Linux manuals ( Rute, and others about understanding scripts) to work through. Loving linux. It just keeps on dropping my internet connection. But even that is ok. Still better than windoz.

What internet connection do you use? 3G

 

[CallaB]

Problem solved. Was sitting in a bad spot and loosing router signal.

On a diffrent note. If one doesnt have a telkom line. What internet supplyerwould you recommend??