Finding Apps, Getting New Ones

[Tex Pepper]

Under Windows if I want to see what programs are installed I click on 'Start' then 'All Programs' and so forth.

On the Mac (Snow Leopard), installed programs are listed under 'Applications' in Finder.

Under Kubuntu.....um.....you're just supposed to know?

Now, if I move the mouse pointer to the bottom of the screen, the bar thingie sort of glides up and shows a number of icons - widgets - but how they got there is anyone's guess. Well, my guess anyway. I am a New Guy and, by definition, New Guys don't know much if anything at all. It's not much fun because New Guys have to swallow their pride, ask very stupid questions and thereby invite a certain amount of ... I'm getting off-topic. Sorry.

Two questions:

Q1: How does one find out which apps are already installed (short of consulting a seer),

and

Q2: How does one find and install new ones?

Scenario: I'd like to get and use The Gimp and Xaos, for example, and let's assume OpenOffice is installed but only Bog knows where and He ain't tellin'.

Fair enough?

Peace,
Tex

[arochester]

Re: Finding Apps, Getting New Ones

One of the best ways is to use the application called Synaptic Package Manager.

Connect to the internet, open Konsole Terminal Program and issue the command:

sudo apt-get install synaptic

When it is installed Synaptic has various buttons on the left e.g Status and Sections. Try them out.

For general guidance look at: http://www.kubuntuguide.info/index.p...on_and_Updates

[ronw]

Re: Finding Apps, Getting New Ones

K menu (on the left of the default panel at the bottom of the screen), look for System Settings, then Software Management. One of the options there, for example, is an "Installed Software" icon.

[eflan]

Re: Finding Apps, Getting New Ones

Click the blue K where the start menu would be on windows and type in "package" in the search bar. On Natty it'll bring up "KPackageKit (Software Management)" I imagine it's the same or similar program on other editions of Kubuntu.

If you want to find it yourself, it's listed twice by default in the popup menu. Once on the Computer tab, and once under Applications > Settings.

[Snowhog]

Re: Finding Apps, Getting New Ones

KDE and Gnome Comparison (by psychocat) will be useful.

Also, and while a bit 'dated', The Ultimate Linux Newbie Guide would be good to review.

[vinnywright]

Re: Finding Apps, Getting New Ones

Under Windows if I want to see what programs are installed I click on 'Start' then 'All Programs' and so forth.

On the Mac (Snow Leopard), installed programs are listed under 'Applications' in Finder.

Under Kubuntu.....um.....you're just supposed to know?

I will assume you have a default layout......and are using at least 10.04 or up.....but realey it's allmost the same all the way back to KDE-3.*.* .... click the Kickoff icon on the left side of the panel (bottom left just whare the windows start button is) and then click the applacations tab

Now, if I move the mouse pointer to the bottom of the screen, the bar thingie sort of glides up and shows a number of icons - widgets - but how they got there is anyone's guess. Well, my guess anyway.

did you set the panel to "hide"?
this is not default behavior.

I am a New Guy and, by definition, New Guys don't know much if anything at all. It's not much fun because New Guys have to swallow their pride, ask very stupid questions and thereby invite a certain amount of ... I'm getting off-topic. Sorry.

no need to apologize....their are NO stupid questions .....you are learning a new setup

Two questions:

Q1: How does one find out which apps are already installed (short of consulting a seer),

as sead go to Kickoff(blue K bottom left) and look at your applacations tab.

and

Q2: How does one find and install new ones?

Scenario: I'd like to get and use The Gimp and Xaos, for example, and let's assume OpenOffice is installed but only Bog knows where and He ain't tellin'.

in your applications under system is ether Kpackagekit or muon depending on what ver. you are running these are your package managers (allthow as @ arochester sead synaptick is the old standard and vary good as well ) and whare you should look for aditionall software
as for OpenOffice it will be under applications (as described above) under office .

Fair enough?

Peace,
Tex

Peace

VINNY

[Tex Pepper]

Re: Finding Apps, Getting New Ones

I will assume you have a default layout......and are using at least 10.04 or up.....but realey it's allmost the same all the way back to KDE-3.*.* .... click the Kickoff icon on the left side of the panel (bottom left just whare the windows start button is) and then click the applacations tab

I'm using 11.04 at the moment, and there is no blue 'K' button. Read on.

Now, if I move the mouse pointer to the bottom of the screen, the bar thingie sort of glides up and shows a number of icons - widgets - but how they got there is anyone's guess. Well, my guess anyway.

did you set the panel to "hide"?
this is not default behavior.

You are correct, it is not default behaviour. I had originally installed V10.04 and played with it for a little while (making the bar hide, and that's about all), then installed Win7Ult64 in a dual-boot configuration later that same day. Big mistake. V10.04 was fine until I installed Win7, after which things went a little weird. That blue 'K' (Kickoff) button you mentioned? Gone. It just disappeared. Poof! When I upgraded to 11.04 yesterday, there was yet another change to the panel: the addition of a new widget whose icon consists of a red, a blue and a green dot all in a horizontal line. I don't know what this widget is nor what it does, and I certainly didn't put it there, me going through nooberty an' all.

Let me ask you this: is there a way to revert Kubuntu to its default 'factory' settings without having to reinstall it from scratch? I'm asking because I don't know what other things were also changed by the M$ demon once installed. I've lost the Kickoff button and this is visually obvious, but there must surely be other changes as well which are not obvious at all.

Btw, Win7 also mucked with the CD/DVD drive and I so can no longer boot from a live CD. Promoting the CD/DVD drive to first place in the BIOS boot-device order has no effect. When I boot the system, it gives me the usual five nanoseconds to press F2 before going straight on to Grub regardless of whether there is a disc in the tray or not.

... in your applications under system is ether Kpackagekit or muon depending on what ver. you are running these are your package managers (allthow as @ arochester sead synaptick is the old standard and vary good as well ) and whare you should look for aditionall software
as for OpenOffice it will be under applications (as described above) under office .

Peace

VINNY

Blessings!
Tex

[vinnywright]

Re: Finding Apps, Getting New Ones

You are correct, it is not default behaviour. I had originally installed V10.04 and played with it for a little while (making the bar hide, and that's about all), then installed Win7Ult64 in a dual-boot configuration later that same day. Big mistake. V10.04 was fine until I installed Win7, after which things went a little weird. That blue 'K' (Kickoff) button you mentioned? Gone. It just disappeared. Poof! When I upgraded to 11.04 yesterday, there was yet another change to the panel: the addition of a new widget whose icon consists of a red, a blue and a green dot all in a horizontal line. I don't know what this widget is nor what it does, and I certainly didn't put it there, me going through nooberty an' all.

well I would say/guess that between customizing 10.04 net upgrading to 11.04 and using the backports repo (the new widget dosent appear untill the newest KDE) to get the newest KDE you user configs have goten scrambled......try this ....as a test......
make a new user and login to the new acct. and see if it's any better.

1queston for U .......how did you get away from win7 taking over the boot process?
or did it and you fixed that.

Btw, Win7 also mucked with the CD/DVD drive and I so can no longer boot from a live CD. Promoting the CD/DVD drive to first place in the BIOS boot-device order has no effect. When I boot the system, it gives me the usual five nanoseconds to press F2 before going straight on to Grub regardless of whether there is a disc in the tray or not.

I have never herd of this happening .........dose the win7cd still boot?


VINNY

[Tex Pepper]

Re: Finding Apps, Getting New Ones

well I would say/guess that between customizing 10.04 net upgrading to 11.04 and using the backports repo (the new widget dosent appear untill the newest KDE) to get the newest KDE you user configs have goten scrambled......try this ....as a test......
make a new user and login to the new acct. and see if it's any better.

Thanks. Good idea. I'll let you know how it works out.

1queston for U .......how did you get away from win7 taking over the boot process?
or did it and you fixed that.

I'm sorry Vinny but I have to chuckle at your question as it imputes way, way too much cleverness on my part (but thank you for your confidence all the same). How did I get away from Win7 taking over the boot process? Why, I waved a Kubuntu ISO under its nose and ominously threatened, "Don't you dare even THINK of doing that!"

Btw, Win7 also mucked with the CD/DVD drive and I so can no longer boot from a live CD. Promoting the CD/DVD drive to first place in the BIOS boot-device order has no effect. When I boot the system, it gives me the usual five nanoseconds to press F2 before going straight on to Grub regardless of whether there is a disc in the tray or not.

I have never herd of this happening .....

Neither have I. Now, if this problem has got a seven-star Kubuntu veteran baffled (you), you can just imagine my own perplexity over this. I feel much like the punk in that Clint Eastwood movie being asked if he feels lucky. Well, I do, as a matter of fact: I'm getting some excellent help here which I greatly appreciate. It's the others here whom I feel sorry for, y'all having to wade through what must seem to be an endless stream very silly questions on my part. My apologies! I do hope that I'm making some progress even so and that my present condition is not permanent, for your sake mostly.

....dose the win7cd still boot?

I'll let you know shortly. It's been awhile (around the time 10.04 was released) and I have to find it first and my home office is a complete disaster. You've no idea. Think Normandy Beach - and that's just the desk.

VINNY

Blessings to you and yours,
Tex

[Tex Pepper]

Re: Finding Apps, Getting New Ones

KDE and Gnome Comparison (by psychocat) will be useful.

Also, and while a bit 'dated', The Ultimate Linux Newbie Guide would be good to review.

Thank you Snowhog, I'm reviewing it as we speak. It's very well-written and can I assume that although it's dated, much still applies?

Peace,
Tex