Ubuntu

How do i install a program? noob here

Asked by u-235

I just switched from XP cold turkey. reformatted my drive and all. i just download the new version of firefox, now what. i am sure then is a super basic and lame question. but well, i don't know how to do it, yet :)

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Jim Hutchinson
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Andrea Corbellini (andrea.corbellini) said : 		#1

Hi!
You should not download applications by your own. It is better that you install programs using Applications→Add/Remove or System→Administration→Synaptic Package Manager.

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u-235 (u-235) said : 		#2

thanks for the quick reply. i looked in the add/remove and found firefox but i didnt see how to update to the new version. i also look at the Synaptic Package Manager. what the hell in all that..heh.. any really simple no brainer way to update firefox. i take it double clicking a .exe file is a xp type thing?

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arochester (arochester) said : 		#3

An easy way is to use the Ubuntuzilla script from http://ubuntuzilla.wiki.sourceforge.net/

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Christoph Langner (chrissss) said : 		#4

What version of Ubuntu did you install? Current version of Ubuntu install the current version of Firefox...

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Manish Sinha (मनीष सिन्हा) (manishsinha) said : 		#5

@u-235
You will get update the update itself when the ubuntu people release the updates. Just sit back and relax, they dont just roll out every small update, i got updated from Firefox 2.0.0.6 to 2.0.0.11, the reason was that the versions in between were a bit unsable.

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Best Jim Hutchinson (jphutch) said : 		#6

u-235, what version of firefox are you trying to use? I think the one that is installed automatically is the newest (2.0.0.11). If you didn't install Gutsy (newest Ubuntu) then you might not have that. If you are trying to use the beta 2 of firefox, you don't want to install it. It's a beta release. However, you can use it easily enough. Download it from http://www.mozilla.com/products/download.html?product=firefox-3.0b2&os=linux&lang=en-US and unpack it. Then open the folder and double click the firefox icon and choose the "run" option. When you close it, you should be able to run the regular (i.e. non-beta) version as normal.

However, as a general rule, don't install stuff off the web. Use the package manager. Ubuntu is not windows and you will need to forget what you know and learn anew - but it's worth it.

For info on installing in Ubuntu check https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InstallingSoftware
For info on moving from windows check https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SwitchingToUbuntu/FromWindows

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u-235 (u-235) said : 		#7

thanks that all helped allot!