Hello everybody.

I installed an Ubuntustudio 7.10 x64 and a Suse 10.3 x64, but I'm not able to install any software.

Compiling, I encounter some libraries troubles I'm not able to solve, while using deb or rpm packages I don't know how to use or open them.

Ubuntustudio recognizes only deb packages, but always answers they're designed for a different architecture (also using x64 deb packeges); instead, Suse opens rpm packs but setup always aborts because of other linked packages lack.

Both distros are installed with a complete installation (all packeges in the isos are installed).

This is the first time I use linux, can anybody gently explain or link me to a step by step guide to rpm and deb usage?


Really many thanks.


Have a nice weekend.

try using one of the package managers under the gui.

In ubuntu use synaptic package manager, in SuSE use the YaST package tool for installing/removing software.
You must understand, that deb and rpm packages are not executable files like exe installers in windows. You need to use a console, or a graphical package manager to install them. This is a better approach for software management, since only one application is used to install/update/remove anything on your system. These package managers download software form package repositories, servers hosting thousands of packages, so you don't need to download everything separately. Package managers also solve dependecie problems. I mean, when you want to install something, it has dependecie packages (other software needed to run and use this particular one). The package manager check for these apps, and marks them for installation, so you don't need to look for them.
When a package cannot be found in the repositories, but you downloaded from somewhere, you still can install them separatelly, using the command line or mc. You can check the forums archive how to do that.
I hope, I helped to understand how software management goes on Linux based systems.