Originally Posted by
SpaceBass
I've been playing with ubuntu more and more and I'm become really impressed. There are a few ubuntu-isms (mostly inherited from Debian) but once you get used to them, it seems to work well.
The first trick is to make sure your /etc/apt/source.list is up to date. I'm not sure how to do this in the GUI, but I suspect you can add sources via the synaptic package manager.
Check out
http://www.ubuntu-nl.org/source-o-matic/
it will generate a source.list file for you.
With the sources updated, then the easiest way to install most things is via apt-get (to which the Synaptic GUI is a front end)...
That being said, you will run into the other ubuntu-ism with is a total lack of commercial or close-source software in the main repositories. That includes things like Opera. When you use that link above, make sure to check the last check box (commercial software) which will give you access to most of those packages.
Once you do that, you shouldn't have to download most programs via the web, but rather search for and install them via Synaptic.
See, it's reasons like this that Linux will NEVER EVER catch on in the consumer market. People get freaked out if you make them go to their control panel in XP, so telling them thinks like they'll have to make sure their sources list in /etc/apt is up to date is gonna ensure nobody in their right mind (short of the geek population) will ever make the full switch.
Linux was meant to take over the world 10 years ago, and today it's still limping along.