We have decided to try Ubuntu as a new operating system instead of Windows but we still don't know how to use it properly?A GNU / Linux distribution could scare anyone, but once understood it becomes one of the most versatile and comfortable operating systems to use to manage a home or office station, thanks to the presence of most of the programs already known on Windows.
Just installing the programs could bring some small problems to novice users, so we have created a guide in which we will explain all the methods you can use to install new programs on Ubuntu, the most famous GNU / Linux destruction.
We will see how to install this distribution next to Windows (better not to abandon it out of the blue!) And later how to install programs on Ubuntu.
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How to install Ubuntu
Installing Ubuntu might seem like a difficult operation, in reality the procedure has been simplified to the maximum in recent years to the point of being accessible even to users who have never installed an operating system before!
First we download the Ubuntu image file, available for download here -> Download Ubuntu.
We download the latest version available, so as to have maximum hardware support and the latest news.
We remind you that Ubuntu is a free operating system, it does not require any type of license to work.
Once the download is finished we burn the ISO image on a blank DVD, or alternatively we use a free USB stick of at least 4 GB, which can be done using a free program such as Unetbootin -> Download Unetbootin.
Prepared the DVD or the Ubuntu key insert it into the PC on which we intend to install this operating system and at startup we repeatedly press F8 until the boot menu appears, where you can choose to start the DVD player or the key on which you have placed the system.
Choosing the right support, the Ubuntu boot screen will start, where we can choose whether to test the system or install it; we click Install Ubuntu.
Click on Next until we see the installation window of the operating system.
Ubuntu will recognize the presence of a Windows installation; to complete the installation we select Install Ubuntu alongside Windows to perform a standard dual-boot installation.
We confirm on Next and choose a username, a name for the PC and a password (the latter indispensable on GNU / Linux), the time zone and at the end we click on Install to complete the operation.
After a few minutes, just restart, remove the DVD or USB key and choose, in a boot screen created for the occasion, whether to start Windows or Ubuntu.
Install programs on Ubuntu with the Software Center
The easiest way to install programs on Ubuntu is to use the Software Center built into the operating system.
Let's start Ubuntu and, in the left sidebar, click on the icon Software.
If the icon is not present or has been removed, we can search for it by opening the programs menu at the bottom left (square consisting of 9 dots) and looking for Software.
We will have a collection center for all the main software that we can install on Ubuntu.
This program collection center is divided into categories and offers an effective search engine, just click on the magnifying glass icon at the top right and search for the program you want.
Once we have found the program to install, click on its name and, in the presentation window, click on Install to start the installation.
This Software Center can also be used to uninstall programs on Ubuntu, just click on the menu Installed present at the top of the Software Center and, next to the name of the program we intend to remove, click Remove.
Install programs on Ubuntu from the Internet (via DEB packages)
Many programs on the Internet offer the ability to install new programs on Ubuntu by downloading a file in DEB format (extension .deb).
This type of compressed file contains everything you need to install a new program in Ubuntu and is self-installing: just double-click on a DEB file to install it on Ubuntu!
We then visit the site of a program that we intend to install, for example Google Chrome -> Download Google Chrome.
The site automatically recognizes the system and offers to download the version for Ubuntu; we click Download Chrome and select the file with the .deb extension.
On other sites you may need to search for the DEB version or manually download the right version for your operating system.
Once we have finished downloading the DEB package, double-click on it.
The package will be opened by the Software Center, which can also integrate programs downloaded from the Internet; to install the program obtained through the DEB package, all we have to do is click on Install.
At the end we will have integrated the program downloaded from the Internet into Ubuntu, ready to use.
Install programs on Ubuntu from the terminal
The last way to install programs on Ubuntu, normally reserved for more experienced users, is the installation via terminal.
To install programs using this method, open the called program terminal from the sidebar or by searching for it in the system dash.
A dark window will open, ready to collect our text commands.
To install the programs on Ubuntu via the terminal we will have to know in advance the name of the program package (sometimes it is not enough to write only the name!) And integrated into the following command:
sudo apt-get install package_name
An example of a program that can be installed via the terminal is shown in the image below.
We type the access password (necessary for any installation), click on the Y key to confirm the installation and wait for the terminal to do its job.
At the end (we can see that the terminal has finished working from the reappearance of the green string containing the user and the PC name) we will have the chosen program regularly installed on Ubuntu.
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