where do you install programs in ubuntu?

Question

where do you install programs in ubuntu?

Answer 1

Mint (ubuntu) is Debian based, meaning that an archive downloads and installs itself. Linux is all about linkages of softwares which surmounts the silly idea of System Registry with external .dll's.



You can fry your Linux distro downloading software that conflicts with the Desktop, so be advised that Synaptic or Software Center are the best choice for installation of software. In fact, I really like Ubuntu 11.10 because of the vast choices of pre-built, ready-to-install software ready to be downloaded.



edit::::::::::::::

on Java I do let Synaptic install both the OpenJDK and the sun-jdk. It puts those in a couple of folders in /usr/share/java for the extras like Xereces .jar and it puts the JDK in /etc/java-6-sun

That installation lets me run Applets in browsers and compile and run java from terminal.



But also, I download the NetBeans / jdk bundle and install that in my /home folder. This is the install I code with because I can copy and delete files without being Admin.

Answer 2

Simple answer... where they want to install themselves.



If they ask you... in Linux you can install them wherever you want, so it's up to you to decide. If you really can't think of anywhere then /usr/local/ is a good place... eg /usr/local/perl for Perl or /usr/local/java for Java installs.

Answer 3

So.. a Linux install puts files in one or more several possible directories.

/usr/bin

/usr/local

usr/local/sub

/var/sub

/home/yourName/.something

/etc

etc :)





.. lots of places.

It very much depends on the program, and how your install it.

If you are dealing with synaptic or apt-get or dpkg.. they read a map of sorts and put things where they need to be. if you want to find something that you installed, and dont know where it is:



sudo updatedb

locate thingIwantToFind | less



If you are trying to do a manual install.... We would need to know what it is you are installing in order to tell you where to put it :)





********



*** Okay java JRE.. hang on...



Gunna assume you want the real thing.. Oracle Java JRE not OpenJDK.. so....



sudo echo 'deb http://www.duinsoft.nl/pkg debs all' >> /etc/apt/sources.list

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keys.gnupg.net --recv-keys 5CB26B26

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install update-sun-jre

exit



Try that. If that doesnt work, download the .rpm file from here:

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jre-7u3-download-1501631.html



and then

sudo apt-get install alien

sudo alien -i yourDownload.rpm



alien will install rpm packages on debian based systems. Still easier than a manual install.