Goodbye Windows - BUT!
 

Hi All, so last week MS did an update for my system and totally screwed it up as in they virtually wiped out my OS and disabled all my restore points which is when I decided to part ways with them.

So I now have 2 machines running different distros of Linux and everything is fine EXCEPT for one issue that I have been trying to resolve from day one - some programs download and install fine but others download okay and then present a mystery as to how you install them, for example this morning I downloaded a Linux version of Chromium browser. It downloaded as "Chrome-Linux" and after downloading it was just a folder which I presumed needed extracting - so I did that but on looking at the extracted files there was nothing which would run the program (eg an exe file).

Nor could I find any way to initiate the "launch" or "install" buttons - so how on earth do you install these programs? This is only one example but there are others I have downloaded which follow the above sequence.

Can anyone shed some light on this problem (remembering that I am very new to Linux)

Well, first, into which distribution of Linux are you trying to install Chrome?

Welcome to Linux Questions! :)

Please remember that Linux is NOT Windows. Installing programs within Linux is usually via the distribution's Software Manager which, for a Newbie refugee from Windows, is probably easier than via the command line at this stage.

For instance, in Mint look for it under the menu button, bottom left. Once opened, look at "Internet" and click "Chrome" to select and install it plus any dependencies it has. Unlike Windows you find all the software in one place, in the distribution's repositories. Soooo, when a new version appears, Chrome, and any other application installed this way, can be upgraded via the distributions Update Manager

It's obviously possible to install things from the App's web page as you're trying to do but the software manager will also add it to the menu system so you don't have to faff about looking to link it in by hand. (Once you get to grips with Linux that's possibly something you'd want to learn.)

Hope that helps! Enjoy the journey! :D

Play Bonny!

:hattip:

Welcome to the forums!

Which Linux distribution are you using? Let us know, and we can link to some simple and easy instructions for you. :)

Most Linux distributions have some type of Software Center or App Store, where you can easily install applications with a few simple mouse clicks.

Chromium browser should be easy to install in most Linux distributions, as it is considered "open source" software.

Chrome browser on the other hand, might require 1 or 2 extra steps, since Chrome is a "closed source" or "proprietary" product of Alphabet, Inc. (parent company of Google) and therefore cannot be bundled with most Linux distributions.

Again, let us know which distribution, and we can give instructions. :)

It may be overkill, but I too will add the advice to get your software from your distributor using the package manager! That way, it installs instantly and (with all the popular distros) is added to the menu. Equally importantly, when you get an update for your distro, you get updates for any software that needs it. With any main-stream distro, you should never run out of programs. As an example of how much you can get, look here:
https://linuxappfinder.com/

Hi snowpine

I am running Ubuntu one one machine and Sparkle Linux on the other. I already have Chromium running on the Ubuntu machine because it was available in their download section and it offered an install option so that was nice and easy. Of the two my initial impression of Sparkle is very pleasing and if I can just beat this problem I can foresee a long, happy relationship but this is the one where Chromium installation has me beat (I am keen to install it because I can then sync all my bookmarks (I would like to do the same with Pale Moon but it has the same problem)).

Hi David,

Yes I understand but sadly Sparkle does not offer the programs I need which is why I am trying to find a solution to this problem

I assume you mean Sparky Linux?

I've never used Sparky, but I see on their webpage that it is based on Debian and uses the "apt" package manager.

https://sparkylinux.org/wiki/doku.php/install_package

You can search for any package (chromium in our example) by using the "apt-cache search" command in the terminal:

If the package is found, then you can install it with "apt-get install":

Hi David and many thanks for both of your last posts. That first link has a download for Chromium so I am going to try that very shortly. The commands will come in handy too. Many thanks and I'll post if I succeed with the Chromium link

One of the most difficult things for Windows users to get their heads around is the way Linux deals with software installation and updating. Here's a quick guide:
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...se-them-37648/

Hi Hazel,

What a terrific link which resulted not only in giving me a new perspective on both Windows and Linux, but also resulted in my finding scores more programs ready to install in Sparky at the touch of a button AND I have already installed both Chromium and Pale Moon :)

The article was absolutely right about downloading and installing in Windows which is why I used Usenet (only selecting files from long known posters) but then installing the program to a sandbox because of the dangers, so I can clearly see the advantage of only installing from a single, trusted source.

So having read the article I remembered seeing a package handler called Synapsis listed so I ran it and discovered it could go to the repo and list every program available for ready installation into Sparky - amazing what a little reading can do, lol.

So a big thank-you to all for your help and I am now a happy Linux user - BUT - I do have one more question! I would like to put shortcuts to the progs like Synapsis on the desktop the way you can in Windows - is this possible? I've tried right and left clicking in all the obvious places but nothing.

I don't use Openbox, but found this courtesy of duckduckgo.

You can often find help in other distros' forums/documents etc.



edit: spelling eror

It depends entirely on what kind of desktop you have. Remember that in Linux the desktop is not tightly integrated with the underlying system as it is in Windows. It just sits on top of it like a hat on a head. And you can always put a different hat on.

Basically there are two kinds of desktops in Linux. Those based on a simple window manager (e.g. fluxbox, openbox, icewm) do not support icons natively. You can however add a program such as rox-filer or fbdesk that will handle them for you. Precisely how it is done varies; it's seldom as simple as just right-clicking and choosing "New". So-called desktop environments like gnome, kde and xfce support icons just as Windows does, and a right-click is all you need. But they are heavyweights and can run slow on older hardware (again just like Windows!)

You haven't said what desktop you are using, but you can always use synaptic to install a different one if the current default doesn't give you what you want. Linux is about choice!

Making a desktop link to synaptic would be problematic however because it has to be run as root. Maybe if you linked your icon to the command pkexec synaptic, it would work. That's what my Debian system uses. pkexec invokes policykit, which allows you to run privileged operations from a user desktop.

Shortcuts are excellent: I seldom need the menu, as I use the Super key (aka Windows key). I have Super+a for accounts, Super+b for browser, and more for calculator, document viewer, editor, file manager, etc, etc. I wouldn't bother for Synaptic, since once you're settled in you aren't constantly adding software.

There's usually an entry somewhere in the menu for Keyboard Shortcuts, or you may do it from the Keyboard configuration tool. Unfortunately, you've picked the two environments for which this doesn't apply!

Sparky requires you to edit a files, since it uses the very basic LXQt desktop. The instructions for Lubuntu will work, but they aren't for the faint hearted!
http://www.webupd8.org/2016/07/how-t...-keyboard.html

Gnome, on Ubuntu, grabs the Superkey for its own use. Obviously you can't use Alt or Control since programs use them, so you have to free up the Super key before using the Keyboard configuration. One of the following guides should help, but I can't check — no Gnome (thank heavens!)
https://askubuntu.com/questions/3414...-the-super-key
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1955...dows-super-key

But you have to update regularly, once a month at least;