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How to install software on Ubuntu Linux

Ubuntu is one of the easiest Linux distributions to use, and installing software is arguably easier than it is on Windows. Here's how it's done.

Ubuntu, and it's parent distribution Debian, make installing software really easy thanks to a clever bit of software called a package management system.

To oversimplify a bit, this downloads software packages from servers called repositories and installs them on your computer.

It's remarkably easy to use - even from the command line - however, there's are a couple of really user-friendly programs pre-installed on every Ubuntu machine that make the software installation and removal process a very simple process. The easiest of these is the Add Remove program.

Add/Remove

To get started, click Applications, then click the Add/Remove icon at the bottom of the menu list.

Ubuntu Add Remove

This opens up the Add/Remove Applications program which will check what you've already got installed and what's available to install from Ubuntu's software repositories.

Ubuntu Add Remove

The first thing you'll want to do is maximise the window so you have a better view, and then you'll want to change the "Show" setting to "All available applications". This will then list all of the software you have installed and can uninstall, and all of the software that you are able to install via Ubuntu's repositories. All of this is free.

Add Remove

If you click one of the section names from the panel on the left of the window (ie. Sound & Video), you'll see a list of available packages. If you want to find out more about a particular program, simply click its name and you'll be able to read about it in the panel below.

Ubuntu

Those applications with a tick next to them are already installed, while those without can be installed simply by checking the box by clicking it. You can scroll through all the lists, ticking as many applications as you like, and even unchecking the boxes for the items of software you never use. We've opted to install Banshee.

When you're done, simply click the Apply Changes button in the bottom right hand corner of the window. You'll be shown a list of the items you've selected to install and you can either click cancel to do nothing, or Apply to install anything you've asked it to install.

Ubuntu

As this is a system change, you'll need to be an administrator to do this, and you'll need to enter your password. Enter this, hit return and Add/Remove Applications will download the software, install it and you'll then be able to find it in your Applications menu.

Installed Banshee