geekMash

After you have installed Ubuntu, you'll want to customize it by installing new software. Fortunately, doing that is really very simple contrary to common conceptions. If you are mostly used to Windows operating systems, then you'll see that Ubuntu (and most under modern linux distributions) provide methods similar as well as even simpler ways of installing software.

There are two major package/software management methodologies used in different GNU/Linux distributions: RPM and Debian packages. Since we are using Ubuntu for this tutorial, we'll be using Debian package management.

Jumping right in

We'll assume that we want to use our computer for editing audio files. A really good program for working with audio is called Audacity. In order to install Audacity using the most beginner friendly method, do the following:

1. Go to System » Administration » Synaptic Package Manager. You will have to enter your password because you are about to do an administrative task.

If this is the first time you have turned on the Synaptic Package Manager, then you will see a Quick Introduction windows. It tells you some basics about software/package management. Click "Close"

2. You should now see a window titled 'Synaptic Package Manager'.

3. Click on the "Search Button". A window titled "Find" should appear. Enter 'Audacity' (with out the quotation marks) and then click on the Search button.

4. After searching for a few seconds, you will be provided with a list of search results:

5. The 'Search Results' button is now pressed. The categories section shoes the search term and the package list is filtered by that criteria. If you click on the package name, 'audacity', the description section will show its description. In order to install audacity, you can either click on the square that appears to the left of the package name, and then click on "Mark for Installation" or you can right click on the name of the package and choose "Mark for Installation. Go ahead and click on "Mark for installation".

6. You will probably see a window appear that asks, "Mark additional required changes?". This is a list of libraries or code that is commonly used by a lot of programs. The package management system is smart enough to know which other libraries or programs the package, in this case, Audacity, is dependent on. So this window is basically saying, "I can see that Audacity needs a few more programs or pieces of code in order to function. May I also install these because without these Audacity will not work?" Go ahead, and click on "Mark" in order to mark these programs to be installed as well.

7. Now that Audacity and its dependencies are marked for installation, we need to tell it to download and install everything. In order to do that, click on the "Apply" button. Then click on Apply again in the Summary page that will appear. The summary window will show you a list of everything that will be downloaded and installed including the dependencies. It will also show you how much space will be used by installing everything.

8. Now you will see audacity getting installed. It will first show you the download progress, then it will show you the install progress, and finally, it will tell you that the changes have been applied. Feel free to click on the "Details" or "Show progress of single files" links in order to see what is actually happening in the background.

9. Now if you go to the Ubuntu Applications » Sound&Video menu, you should see Audacity listed. Click on it and it will run.

Removing Software

Removing software with the Synaptic Package Manager is just as simple. If you want to remove Audacity, launch the Synaptic Package Manager again.

Locate Audacity in the default list of packages. There are many ways to do so. You may scroll down to it, or you may search for it using the Search button, or you may click on the "Status" button, and then click on "Installed" in the categories, and then scroll down to "audacity".

Once you have located 'audacity', you will notice that the square to the left of the package name appears to be filled. This lets you know that this item is currently installed. Click on that or right click on 'audacity', and you will see a few options:

• Mark for Reinstallation;
• Mark for Removal;
• Mark for Complete Removal.

'Mark for Reinstallation', will simply re-download the package, and then reinstalls it, overwriting all of the original files. 'Mark for Removal', will remove the files installed by the package, while 'Mark for Complete Removal' will remove all the files installed by the package as will as any configuration files related to that package. Some times you may want to save the configuration files because you may want to install the package again at a later time.

Go ahead and click on 'Mark for Removal' and then click on the 'Apply' button. The Summary window will appear asking for confirmation of your actions. Click on the arrow to the left of the words 'To be removed' in order to check what exactly is getting removed. Some times you may see other files in there such as dependencies also being removed. If you're certain that only the files that you want removed are listed, then click on the 'Apply' button.

Finally, it will show you that the changes have been applied. You may confirm that the changes have been applied, by checking the Ubuntu Applications menu » Sound&Menu and you won't see Audacity in there.