Installing Free Software in Ubuntu Linux
Installing software in Ubuntu Linux is extremely simple. There is one central place called Ubuntu Software Center accessible through the "Applications" menu. This will be a very pleasant surprise for Windows users. There is no need to look through many pages of search results to find a free application. Neither do you have to worry about getting viruses or spyware along with the downloads (we already discussed that in the context of secure filesystem, users and passwords). Just choose the application you want and press "Install" – as simple as that.
All available applications are organized in categories to simplify browsing when you are looking for something specific. A very large (and constantly growing) number of free, open-source software available for your Linux machine is organized in special repositories with download mirrors throughout the world, and is made available to you via the software center. You can also choose which repositories to enable – see the "Managing Software Sources" section of the Software center FAQ page. Also, a more detailed look at managing packages in Ubuntu with a simple graphical interface is available in the package manager guide.
Once you have chosen an applications to install, the software center will require administrative rights to complete software installation – a pop-up will appear prompting to enter the password.
Just type in your password and proceed with the installation. This step also provides a good moment to stop and think if you are sure you want to perform the chosen action.
So, next time you encounter certain task and want to see if there is some suitable application to help with it, Ubuntu Software Center may be the first place to try. The amount of open-source software available there keeps growing every day, and you will definitely find something useful. As always, you are welcome to contact us to get help with specific computational needs.
