Installing software

daer119 · 10-21-2012, 09:27 PM

Using ubuntu 8.04 and I'm wondering what is the best way for me to install software? I tried downloading a program off of the internet and it came in a tar.bz2 file. I saw online that this is a compressed file? How do I run the file and make it a program now?

Side note: Windows you just double click .exe file, I say this because I'd just like to know the purpose linux os does this seemingly more complicated (to me who hasn't done it) process.

suicidaleggroll · 10-21-2012, 09:51 PM

The best way is through the software center. If something isn't there, you can install it from source, which is what you're trying to do. A .tar.bz2 file is like a .zip file, just an archive of directories/files. Use "tar -jxvf file.tar.bz2" to unpack it, cd into the extracted directory, and read the README or INSTALL file that's there. It should have the rest of the instructions.

rosehosting.com · 10-22-2012, 01:21 AM

Please note, Ubuntu 8.04 has reached its end of support date and updates are no longer be available for this version. You should consider upgrading to at least 10.04 LTS, which will be supported until April 2013 on the desktop and Apri 2015 on the server. More information on upgrading to Ubuntu 10.04 LTS you can find at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Lu...%2010.04%20LTS