this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2023
175 points (96.3% liked)
Linux
48365 readers
1452 users here now
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
Rules
- Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
- No misinformation
- No NSFW content
- No hate speech, bigotry, etc
Related Communities
Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0
founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Try command line?
That's likely an app just not installed by default for GUI
Correct, but new users don't want to need the command line for something as simple as installing packages.
New users probably shouldn't be installing .debs, especially if they don't know about terminal commands. I've seen so many fucked up systems from people treating Linux as Windows, as in installing everything by searching for stuff on their browser, downloading an installer and installing that.
Problem is a lot of closed source software still release their software as .deb or .rpm packages that installs their repos so you can install their software from the software centre.
[This comment has been deleted by an automated system]
Tell them to install via flatpak. Spotify, Discord and so on should be available as flatpak via Gnome Software or the KDE software center. NOW on Ubuntu, this is anyone's guess. I'm guessing there is no flatpak support by default. Ubuntu is doing the linux community a disservice.
I'm telling them that because it is a poor idea. But preferably the system should fix user mistake and behind the scenes just install Discord from repo or flatpak, with option to bypass this behaviour for those who know what they're doing.
Preferably these software vendors would know to guide users towards proper ways of installing stuff, but that's not happening.
[This comment has been deleted by an automated system]
Add a GUI desktop entry for that, assign .deb file mimetype to it, bam. A usable experience.
Or just install gdebi.
Double clicking an OS native package should just open an installer. GDebi has been available for ages and it just works. This dpkg bullshit is exactly what Canonical wants you to do, make it annoying enough to install debs that anyone trying to do any business moves to snaps because they're raiser for their end users.
It's not hard to fix (just install one of the many .deb GUI handlers, preferably one that integrates well with your DE) but having to do this in the first place is stupid.