Ok I have like Mandrake the best so far but I am installing Ubuntu now because I was told it was very easy to install software with Synaptic which is included with Ubuntu. I do have a couple questions:

1. When I download stuff I like to put the TAR files all in a download directory before installing and was wondering where I should create my download directory? In HOME or where else?

2. Will I be able to browse to my download directory from within Synaptic and double click on a TAR package and have it install or do I have to extract the TAR first?

3. Can I set it up in Synaptic so it always looks in the download directory when launched to see if there are new programs to install?

Thanks.

I'm a complete n00b, but when I installed Ubuntu, I just opened up the Synaptic Package Manager and in preferences I added "universe" and "multiverse" to the list of locations.

Reload the window, and you will see a huge list of all possible packages. Mark a package for installation, then click on the "Apply" button.

I never had to deal with .tars or whatever.

Yes, you have slightly the wrong idea about what synaptic is and how it works. Synaptic doesn't install .tar files, it installs .deb files in Ubuntu. You have to let synaptic download and install the files as it is configured to. You can change the locations, but there really isn't any reason to do so. Tar files are meant to be compiled most of thetime, and synaptic doesn't compile, it just installs.

If you want to have something that builds from tar files, I'd suggest looking at the emerge function in Gentoo, IIRC it will install apps from .tar files. Slackware may have an installer app in 10.1 as well, but I firget the name as I like to do the full compilation/installation myself.


Peace,
JimBass

It's pkgtool in Slackware .

Ok I switched back to Mandrake 10.1 Official because I liked it the best. I have installed Firefox and GAIM now so I am learning how to do that.

I think I am going to like Linux world!