I have used debian and now I just installed Ubuntu. When I go in to aptitude to download packages it wants to check on the CD first. Can i go in to the apt-setup and change the ftp or http location to the debian servers and download and install programs? I was thinking that since Ubuntu is based off of debian that I would be able to install programs that were made for debian, is this correct? When I had debian installed and went to apt-setup there was a list of ftp and http servers to choose from but there is nothing in Ubuntu, is this normal? The biggest question I have is if I put the debian server addresses in will it work? Thanks

sure, you can use deb packages also.

edit/add locations apt uses in /etc/apt/sources.list

you can also use rpm packages by converting them into deb packages via a tool known as 'alien'.

cheers.

Just open Synaptic and choose the repositories you want to use.
http://www.ubuntuguide.org/#extrarepositories

It is not a good idea to add Debian repositories as the libraries may not be the same.

Using Debian packages or other Debian based distro packages can be tricky. The naming convention between the distro packaging can be different resulting in dependencies that, while they already exist, are reported as missing. The package name could differ merely by the addition of ubu to the name indicating it is an ubuntu package. Thus, dependency will be unment.

If you know what you are doing you can force the install of the package; but this brings a long a whole host of other issues as apt and synpatic will complain as you try and run updates or installs in the future.

Your better off sticking with Ubuntu repositories until they work out the remainder of the .deb packaging system.