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submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

I know it's not that hard $ dpkg -i but opening the terminal gives normies an aneurysm and thanks to the crazy gatekeeping gen alpha doesn't know what a file type is now.

I use Ubuntu btw. Personally, the App store's on Linux confused me a ton, setting up Flatpak and some other package repositories. I much preferred the windows way, shocker, with just downloading and double-click the exe file.

Do I have to make a pull request myself to get this done, or what is the debate on this?

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[-] [email protected] 39 points 1 month ago

FWIW instead of dpkg -i stuff.deb, you can use apt as such: apt install ./stuff.deb (The path syntax like ./ is required to use a local file instead of searching for a package name).

Unlike dpkg, apt is able to fetch dependencies if needed.

[-] [email protected] 20 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

the monkey's paw curls a finger and your wish is granted

you can now right click and select install. But it doesn't actually install properly.

[-] [email protected] 18 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

It doesn't check dependencies.

You have 356 different copies of libcurl installed on your system.

Nginx, Apache and Lighttpd are all running in the background and collectively using the same port, somehow.

Wayland and X are both running with multiple sessions but none of them are on the default TTY.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

dpkg doesn't? I sometimes use apt install command but didn't think it mattered if the deb package was configured right.

[-] [email protected] 12 points 1 month ago

It's an embellishment on the above monkey's paw comment, not actual technical information.

[-] [email protected] 19 points 1 month ago

Strange when I double click a .deb and or a .flatpakref file the gnome software application opens with the option to install that package. (Linux mint)

[-] [email protected] 17 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Gnome-Software and GDebi can do exactly that for you. Download a deb, right click "open with X", and they'll install it for you using GUI. You can even change file associations so debs are opened by gdebi/gnome-software by simple double-clicking.

[-] [email protected] 17 points 1 month ago

@RommieDroid It’s not there by default, but Gdebi can do the trick. I used it quite a lot when I first started with Linux.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

That's awesome. Thank you.

[-] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

@RommieDroid No problem. Many of us are here to help in the #linux community, though I wouldn’t say I’m the most advanced with it.

[-] [email protected] 12 points 1 month ago

I much preferred the windows way, shocker, with just downloading and double-click the exe file.

This is appimage!

[-] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago

Om, AppImage is portable exe. Has it's uses.

[-] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago

I really don't understand why it's not more streamlined, it should work like an exe where I just click it and it installs and handles dependencies automatically.

[-] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

Installing a random .deb comes with enormous security implications. I am not sure that making the process more beginner friendly is a really good idea.

"Beginner friendly" should be limited to things from the main repositories, and for that there is the Software Center.

[-] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

What linux does and does not protect the user from is endlessly hilarious to me.

Hey linux, I want to install a file you downloaded.

Linux: Sounds risky man

I'd like my file explorer to have super user privleges.

Linux: Are you out of your god damned mind?

Hey linux, I want to delete the kernel that I'm actively using right now.

Linux: Hell yeah. I'll go to the looney bin with you.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Not any more dangerous than installing a random exe. And a GUI that opens when you click one could explain that danger much better than what currently happens: people blindly use sudo dpkg and that's it.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

It's the same thing with .exe on windows. It's potentially dangerous and people need to be mindful what they download and install.

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[-] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

@MangoPenguin @RommieDroid It’s more so that the people working on “beginner friendly” Linux distros are pushing users towards Software Centers/App stores these days.

Those of us who are familiar with the old ways don’t really have much trouble, but there’s stuff that is a big pain, like #LibreOffice

Installing the latest version of that is easier to do in the terminal and can’t be done as conveniently as what you propose, though I wish it was that easy.

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[-] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago

This is deliberately not allowed in order to ensure that Linux remains exclusive for nerds.

[-] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago

I use Mint and I just double-click *.deb files to install them. Ubuntu does not do this?

[-] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago

When I was on popos I would just double click deb files and eddy would open and install

[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

"popos" is german for "butts", PopOS! is a bit different

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Eddy doesn't care which, he's installing

[-] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

Is this really a common occurrence for you, that the package isn't available via apt?

[-] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

On Debian it is. The stable branch is a pain. I need to switch to something else.

[-] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

Ah, understandable.

May I talk to you about our lord and savio, NixOS? (Only kinda /s)

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago
[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

Nice!

How much do you know of nix? (Just gauging where I should start in my propaganda script :D)

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[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

If it's only due to the branch, i.e. a package or desired version isn't available in stable but is in testing or unstable, you may try using pinning.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Reading, thank you.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

Most end-user software is not in Debian/Ubuntu repos. Sublime Text, Discord, Anydesk, Google Earth, Ente Photos, Synergy, Steam, NordVPN... The list goes on. You download a Deb from their website.

[-] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

Just add your own context menu shortcut for .deb files that runs sudo deb -i $_

[-] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Not quite what you want, but in dolphin you can open a terminal with F4, and then just type sudo deb -i <package.deb> and your password. Pretty quick.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

It's a useful shortcut.

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[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

Wait, for real? Gen Alpha doesn't know what a file type is??

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

fr, windows hides the file type by default.

[-] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago

Windows has done this since I was a kid (I'm a millennial). Later gens have no excuse.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

If you have Nautilus as the filemanager, you can write a Nautilus script that does this for you, you just then have to right click and select the script. You can run essentially any script this way, I use it for some preset file conversions.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Just use nautilus-action

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this post was submitted on 26 Jun 2025
44 points (90.7% liked)

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