Installing SDL (Xubuntu)?
 

How do I install SDL (and other libraries) onto my dual-boot (XP/Xubuntu) computer? With only what came on the Xubuntu disk, I am able to play Oolite at what seems to be 1000 FPS, and Torcs at about 70 FPS.

Welcome to LQ.

The install commands : 1) sudo apt-get update

2) sudo apt-get install \
libsdl1.2debian libsdl-image1.2 libsdl-gfx1.2-4 libsdl-mixer1.2 \
libsdl-net1.2 libsdl-perl libsdl-sound1.2 libsdl-ttf1.2
( Not all of those may be required, but : most are small files.)

Alternative install method :
"Synaptic" is the GUI Package Manager : Start with hitting the 'Refresh' button.
( Will update the package list, like 'sudo apt-get update'. )
And then enter libsdl to ' Search '.

Good luck.
..

Just for the record, for Oolite (at least for the latest 1.74.2 release) only
libsdl1.2debian and
libsdl-mixer1.2
are needed, as far as it concerns SDL dependencies.

Furthermore, I don't think that installing SDL will increase the applications' framerate.

I just tried the Terminal lines, but it comes up with:
Or am I supposed to open a terminal in the downloaded SDL folder?

Well, you can do : 1) sudo apt-get update
2) sudo apt-get install libsdl-mixer1.2

.. as suggested by @GetafixJr. The libsdl1.2* will follow too.

Or use : apt-cache search libsdl
.. to get the package names.

Which version of Ubuntu is it ? 10.10 ?
..

P.S. : If you still get the message : "" E: Couldn't find package .... ""
after the "package list refresh" = 'sudo apt-get update
.. then you can try changing the mirror in 'Software Sources' :
System > Administration > Software Sources.
Synaptic: System > Administration > Synaptic >> Settings >> Repositories. ...
..

What downloaded SDL folder?

You aren't supposed to download anything off the SDL website.

Tried all of the commands, and successfully updated some stuff (I wasn't paying attention to what it was, but I remember that it was relatively important stuff).
I can't believe I didn't see Synaptic :doh:. Thanks!
Uhm...carp. Thanks for telling me.