I've installed Ubuntu 11.04 and have a program I want to use -- PuTTY . its installation is a tarball that requires gtk-config which comes in gtk+ and has a glib dependency. I'm sure other dependencies exist, but I'm already frustrated by the feeling that I'm spinning my wheels.

Is there a linux distribution that installs these basic libraries/tools? I'd really like to get back to work!

what is wrong with using the ubuntu version?

all of them?

Why can't you use any terminal (xterm, gnome-terminal, aterm, etc) and the "ssh" program to SSH out? PuTTY is mainly for Windows.

Or actually, putty is in the Ubuntu repositories. Just open up Add/Remove Programs (or whatever Ubuntu is calling it these days), search for it, and install it, and all dependencies will be installed for you.

Glib, gtk is always installed in all distributions.

The missing parts are the development files :

'sudo apt-get install libgtk2.0-dev' : Will install libgtk2.0-dev + libglib2.0-dev

..

my Thanks to andrewthomas and knudfl for their kind instructions. knudfl - extra stars for addressing my question more clearly -- that I needed the libgtk2.0-dev version. I understand that Ubuntu is (kinda) viewed as the "easy" or "intro" to *NIX and that most of the users don't have interest in installing programs from tarballs.

The fact that I want to use PuTTY may confuse some users but I have my reasons. It is commonly used in my workplace and since I am in a user support role, it is useful for me to familiarize myself with its functionality in *NIX in addition to Windoze. I wouldn't dream of criticizing you for your choices of tools & toys.

And just so you know, Ubuntu already comes with GTK+ (Linux doesn't have a native toolkit like Windows does, programs just use things like GTK+ or Qt).

It's just that the development files aren't installed.