[01:10] i was thinking of installing ubuntu onto a separate hdd, but how would i set my computer to give me the option of which os to launch on startup? [01:12] newguy: When the computer boots up GRUB should disply a lost of OSes to choose from [01:12] :( === zeroseven01831 is now known as zeroseven0183 [06:57] Where should I look for more key-bindings like 'Control-D' for terminal ? Shortcut-keys don't list them. [06:59] e3d3 You mean, copy and paste? [07:01] No, those I know but I just want to find Control-D somewhere in a list, that must learn me more. I can't find any info about Control-D ?! [07:01] Is Gconf-Editor installed? [07:02] zeroseven0183: Are you asking me ? [07:02] Yes E3D3. Sorry for not addressing you directly. [07:02] Have you tried looking for it in gconf-editor? [07:03] np, No I didn't. Never thought about it & still don't know why but like to try. I be right back. Thanks [07:07] E3D3: In a terminal, run stty -a [07:08] The stty command queries the terminal's settings. You won't find those bindings in gnome's config. [07:09] Yes :-) [07:10] There's a nice list. I knew its no orphan. Why couldn't I find it elsewhere - or did I search so bad ? [07:11] geirha: Thanks [09:31] please help http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=11648593#post11648593 [11:09] What did you want to know Guest? [11:09] So here is my problem... [11:10] I have bought a new HDD of 500GB what I want to do is make 3 partitions [11:10] 1st: Windows 7 (~80GB) [11:11] 2nd: Ubuntu (~20GB[Hope it would be enough]) [11:11] Plenty [11:11] 3rd: For Storing data [11:11] Alright [11:11] For 1st no problem [11:11] No? ;) [11:12] After making the Windows install on an 80 GB primary partition which is NTFS [11:12] It's Windows ;) There's your problem...JK [11:12] Which File system should I use for Ubuntu? [11:13] Will NTFS be OK or ext3 will be better for the Ubuntu? [11:17] I did a quick read-up on the subject, because I'm not really familiar with it. [11:17] Ok [11:18] It's not recommended, but there is a way to set it up: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/35807/how-to-harmonize-your-dual-boot-setup-for-windows-and-ubuntu/ [11:18] So whats your opinion? [11:18] Didn't get! Whats not recomended NTFS or Dual Boot? [11:19] Disclaimer: attempt at your own risk, I will *NOT* be held liable for any loss of data [11:19] Making a shared partition [11:20] Ofcourse! why would I hold you responsible? ;D [11:20] What exactly is this shared partition and how to make it? [11:22] #ubuntu-in [11:34] 10.04_3.2GHz Intel while looking at my system monitor, it appears my swap is not being utilized. It never goes above or below 12% while my physical memory utilization while tasking is in the 70-90% range... is this normal? [11:35] also getting greyed out windows like the system is chugging too hard and needs to catch up.. [11:35] from what i'v seen Ubuntu usually prefers the ram, as long as it's not totally full it wont be using the swap much [11:35] do you have cpu usage? [11:35] high* [11:35] never above 80% usually [11:36] idles around 20% [11:36] working spikes around 40-60% [11:37] well, does this happen every time? or just this time? [11:39] no, it's pretty much constant...(ie, right now, not doing anything but irc, and firefox) system is idle cpu@20, physmem@80, swap@12 [11:39] how much ram do u have ? 2GB? [11:40] currently 512, got more coming.. they sent the wrong stuff [11:41] i see, probably things will get better when you increase the ram, firefox tend to use a lil too much ram, so that might be the problem [11:42] will be 2G when it comes.. but it seem that the system shouldn't be greying out windows like it is.. but I can see where it would mostly be a low memory issue.. [11:42] the greying out is like windows when it says program not responding and it all goes white [11:43] kinda like the system is trying to catch up [11:43] probably this time is spent by ubuntu trying to free up memory for whatever operation it's trying to do [11:43] you could try chrome for now, should be less memoery intensive [11:44] try using 'top' in terminal [11:44] I don't understand that... top [11:44] Culiforge, swap is slower then memory ;) [11:45] the system monitor should show the correct values too [11:46] ok, use processes tab and sort by memory usage [11:46] indeed, aware that swap is slower.. but it never goes above or below 12% [11:46] top's like Windows Task Manager without the killing feature. [11:47] u could increase the swappiness or w/e in the fstab, but that stuff needs lil time, and i need to go ffor a bit , be back in half an hour or so [11:47] Shows a list of all I/O and CPU usages. [11:47] brb [11:47] thx coalwater [11:48] right now gnome sys monitor it the biggest memory user at ~10% but sys monitor greyed out when switching tabs [11:50] you might wanna try using less programs and/or use a lighter desktop environment. I guess you use unity right now or ...? lubuntu is specially for slower computers [11:51] Snicksie: I can see that... I am running apache,mysql,koha in the background [11:51] but none of that seems to be pulling huge resources either [11:55] I do have another question though... my browser access through 127.0.0.1 is waaaaaay slower than I would have thought. normal web browsing is quite snappy though. any thoughts? [11:58] Does ''ip -o -4 addr'' run in a terminal show a line for an lo interface? [11:58] 1: lo inet 127.0.0.1/8 scope host lo [11:58] 2: eth1 inet 192.168.1.9/24 brd 192.168.1.255 scope global eth1 [11:59] Yeah, that looks correct [12:00] How about ''route -n|grep 127'' ? [12:00] no output [12:00] Same here, so that should be fine [12:00] I don't know why it would be so slow then :/ [12:01] back [12:01] geirha: was looking around and saw some boards talking about php.in and resolvconf so it may be more program specific [12:02] Well, resolv.conf shouldn't be an issue when you use an ip address [12:02] But yeah, could be some weirdness with php. [12:03] Compare ''ping -c 5 127.0.0.1'' with ''ping -c 5 google.com'' [12:03] although when I start apache it spews something about not being able to find a fully qualified domain name or something to that effect [12:03] --- 127.0.0.1 ping statistics --- [12:03] 5 packets transmitted, 5 received, 0% packet loss, time 3997ms [12:03] rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.036/0.041/0.045/0.005 ms [12:04] --- google.com ping statistics --- [12:04] 5 packets transmitted, 5 received, 0% packet loss, time 4006ms [12:04] rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 31.214/32.283/32.905/0.593 ms [12:04] Yeah, so the lo interface is working fine. Must be php [12:04] (or apache) [12:05] u kknow for sure that the apache service is up ? [12:05] btw, please use a pastebin for pasting more than 2 lines at a time [12:05] will do---> pastebin [12:06] yes, apache is up or I wouldn't be able to access my ILS(koha) right? [12:06] idk what is that [12:06] integrated library system.. won't run unless apache is [12:07] i see 3 instances of apache2 in sys monitor [12:08] and 127.0.0.1 doesn [12:08] work ? [12:09] it works, it's just access is terribly slow [12:09] could be the same issue [12:09] rams [12:09] right-o, I'll stop complaining until my ram gets here then :) [12:10] try a ligher browser if u want to stick with ubuntu desktop [12:11] how long do u expect to wait for the rest of the ram to come [12:11] I'll more than likely be switching to fedora soon (although I do like ubuntu personally) because it's what I'll need for work [12:11] hopefully by midweek, the ram will come [12:12] how much ram is free if you close firefox ? [12:14] 50% [12:15] so firefox with 5 tabs is using btw 100-130M [12:15] afk one sec, gotta let the dog out real quick [12:20] well with me, firefox eats up as much as it could do lol, idk if its my addons or what, but sometimes i forefox+netbeans or somethign could eat up all my 4.5GB at work, i tend to restart firefox every now and then, to free up memory [12:22] back coalwater: same here but <150M doesn't seem like an issue [12:23] Same with google-chrome and chromium. Once in a while it starts eating mem like crazy. The only solution is to restart the browser. [12:24] I suspect it's mainly the fault of flash [12:25] geirha: I agree, flash or java. java was a suspect on my old windows machine === yofel_ is now known as yofel [12:29] u use lucid right? 10.4 [12:29] yup [12:32] if you're going to reinstall the system anyway, maybe ud want to try to install lxde or something, a lighter weight desktop environment [12:33] just temporarily till you do a full reisntall or something [12:34] coalwater: sounds like a grand idea [12:37] but apparently it will install a lot of things, idk how good/bad idea this is lol http://paste.ubuntu.com/821167/ [ran apt-get install-s lubuntu-desktop] -s = simulate only [12:37] there's a space between install and -s, sry [12:41] I remember seeing somewhere there is an argument for installs like that where it will only install a pure environment without additional progs and whistles and bells and stuff.. I'll look for that again [13:27] Culiforge: if you find it please do share it :D [13:28] coalwater: will do.. I did find something on psychocats that "rolls back" all the extra default installs but it wasn't what I remember seeing [14:17] Culiforge: minimal install perhaps - there's on of those on psychocat's page [14:18] Culiforge: http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/minimal === Culiforge is now known as cul_away [16:01] why if I do "service networking stop" then start it back up again my internet connection doesn't come back up until I reboot? my IP is assigned through DHCP [19:14] My DVD writer can`t read any cd/dvd written with Brasero, in either Ubuntu or Windows. When i put the dvd in, after i have burned it, the dvd writer unmounts itself in both OS as well.. if that makes any sense. Did anyone encounter this before? [21:09] hello [21:09] Hi [21:09] u r here again? [21:10] * benonsoftware nods [21:10] :-) [21:10] so one can be on multiple channels at the same time? [21:10] Yes [21:10] i c, thanks [21:11] i just installed ubuntu, maybe u can help me with some stupid questions [21:11] Ok [21:11] is there anyway i can log in as root? [21:11] chrisoffice: No as that is unwise but you can run sudo [21:11] D: [21:12] Sorry, wrong channel [21:12] but i need to do sudo everytime [21:12] i hate that [21:12] chrisoffice You can do su -i [21:12] chrisoffice But you would have to set the password [21:12] sudo -i [21:13] let me try [21:13] invalid option [21:13] He meant sudo [21:14] chrisoffice Yep, sorry. But, to enable this, you have to run "sudo passwd root" without quotes, to set the password. [21:14] NO! [21:14] to set a psw for root 1st? [21:14] chrisoffice Yes [21:14] Don't set a password for root [21:15] just run sudo -i and you have a root shell [21:15] geirha, why? [21:15] geirha If he doesn't he wouldn't be able to login with sudo -i [21:15] i ran sudo -i, then i ask "who am i" [21:15] JoseeAntonioR: sudo -i asks for your user's password, not root's [21:15] chrisoffice Do it, otherwise you won't be able to login [21:15] i m still me, not ROOT [21:15] geirha Check the docs, it asks for the root password, not the user one. sudo asks that one. [21:16] geirha@pilot:/tmp$ sudo -i [21:16] [sudo] password for geirha: [21:16] geirha, yes [21:17] geirha, after that, u ask who am i [21:17] geirha, it will say geirha, not root [21:17] geirha Well, it asks the root password for me. [21:17] chrisoffice: echo "$USER" [21:18] geirha, no return [21:18] Well, who am i is not a reliable way to see which user your shell is runnign as [21:19] It just shows you who owns the terminal you're in. [21:19] the only thing after " sudo -i" is that the prompt changed [21:19] from ~$ to ~# [21:19] The # indicates the shell is running as root [21:19] i c [21:19] Try a command that would normally require sudo, e.g. apt-get update [21:20] i c, so under "~#", i don't need sudo anymore? [21:20] JoseeAntonioR: Then you might have some odd setup in /etc/sudoers [21:21] chrisoffice: right, though be very careful. A small typo could wipe your system. [21:21] i c [21:21] Like an accidental space in an rm command [21:21] thanks, geirha, another question regarding the file system [21:22] i just set this thing up, dude, really confused [21:22] if i go to file system [21:23] You can also configure sudo to allow you to run commands as root without requiring password btw. [21:23] go on [21:23] it shows all these folders, bin, root, home, etc [21:24] now, why am i not seeing the other partition, cus when i set it up, i believe i divided the hd into 2 partitions [21:24] like c and d as u normally c in windows [21:25] In linux, partitions don't get assigned letters. You set the main one as /, and all the other partitions you mount on directories under / [21:26] By default, they will be mounted under /media/ [21:26] i c [21:27] so the partition that the linux is installed on is /, and the spare one is /media/? [21:27] chrisoffice: No, inside /media, like /media/the-filesystem-label/ [21:27] i.e., the media folder i c under the file system is actually the other partition? [21:27] chrisoffice: run df -h to see mounted partitions [21:28] It'l be a subdirectory of /media [21:28] Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on [21:28] /dev/sda1 55G 4.2G 48G 9% / [21:28] udev 368M 4.0K 368M 1% /dev [21:28] tmpfs 150M 760K 149M 1% /run [21:28] none 5.0M 0 5.0M 0% /run/lock [21:28] none 375M 164K 375M 1% /run/shm [21:28] root@HP-Tablet:~# [21:28] When pasting more than two lines at once, please use a pastebin. [21:29] so i only have one partition? [21:29] Anyway, your other partition is not mounted anywhere [21:29] sudo fdisk -l will show an overview of your harddrives and their partitions (don't paste it, just look at it) [21:30] so what are the other ones listed here? /dev for example? [21:30] chrisoffice: Special, magical filesystems Ubuntu uses. It's the ones with names like /dev/sda2 you're interested in [21:31] after fdisk -l, it lists sda1 , sda2, sda5 [21:31] and sda1 is the boot [21:31] What's in the System column of sda5 ? [21:31] show a asterik sign under boot [21:32] linux swap / solaris [21:32] and "extended" for sda2 [21:32] what do they mean? [21:33] Right. That means you only have /dev/sda1. /dev/sda5 is a swap partition. [21:33] what about sda2? [21:33] says "extended" [21:33] chrisoffice: the harddrive can only be partitioned into 4 partitions, sda1-4 [21:34] but you can make one of those four partitions an extended partition, and inside the extended partition, you can have many partitions (called logical partitions). [21:34] oh, i c [21:34] similar to windows [21:35] This is due to historic reasons. Introducing the extended partition was a way to work around not being able to have more than 4 partitions. [21:35] that means the sda1 did not take up the entire HD [21:35] otherwise there should not be extened partition, right? [21:35] sda1 has 55GiB. How large is the entire HD? [21:35] 60 [21:36] Right, so the extended one probably covers the rest of the disk [21:36] And the swap probably covers the entire extended partition. [21:36] ok, now, if i click on the root folder, i can't open it [21:37] U R RIGHT [21:37] swap and extened have the same block numbers [21:37] That's the root user's homedir. It is only accesible to the root user. [21:38] i m root right now, after sudo -i [21:38] but still can't open it [21:38] chrisoffice: Only in that one terminal. Your nautilus (file browser) is still running as your user. [21:38] You can run nautilus as root though. gksudo nautilus [21:39] Or you can install the nautilus-gksu package which adds a "Open as administrator" option [21:39] after that, i can open the root [21:39] but it only has one thing inside, "desktop" [21:39] :-) [21:40] Yes, there's typically not much interesting in there [21:40] i thought the root would be like the system folder in windows [21:40] :-) [21:42] so if i want to install a program, which folder should i installed it to? [21:42] it does not have a "program" folder [21:44] an application's files are spread around the filesystem. [21:44] library files go in /usr/lib, executables in /usr/bin, datafiles in /usr/share etc [21:45] oh [21:45] very different from the way it's done in windows. [21:45] say i d/l and install a chris.tar.gz program from the internet [21:46] after i download it, it show up in my /home/chris/downloads folder [21:46] Then I'd say: don't do that. Search for it in the software center instead. [21:46] If you don't find it there, look for a ppa that has a package for it. [21:46] i can't find it there [21:47] If there's no ppa, look for a deb-file [21:47] what is ppa? pre-packaged app? [21:47] .tar.gz is one of the last resorts [21:47] !ppa [21:47] A Personal Package Archive (PPA) can provide alternate software not normally available in the offical Ubuntu repositories - Looking for a PPA? See https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+ppas - WARNING: PPAs are unsupported third-party packages, and you use them at your own risk. See also !addppa [21:48] nothing like that either, ok, i wanna install the linux drive for alfa adapter [21:49] http://www.alfa.com.tw/in/front/bin/ptlist.phtml?Category=105397 [21:50] no debian file either [21:50] Then it gets complicated [21:50] only thing available us tar.gz [21:51] i downloaded to my /home/chris/downloads/ folder [21:51] now, i did txvf to unzip it [21:51] but then i stuck [21:52] install checkinstall [21:52] i just don;t know how to install a program [21:52] !checkinstall [21:52] checkinstall is a wrapper to "make install", useful for installing programs you compiled. It will create a .deb package, which will be listed in the APT database and can be uninstalled like other packages. See https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CheckInstall - Read the warnings at the top and bottom of that web page, and DO NOT interrupt CheckInstall while it's running! [21:52] usually you should read the INSTALL file inside the folder [21:53] it suggest you to run ./configure [21:53] then you will run make [21:53] and then checkinstall [21:53] not make install? [21:53] There's no recipe for installing from a tar.gz. Apart from extracting it and looking for a README and/or INSTALL file for further instructions. [21:54] what is .sh file? [21:54] Usually a shell script [21:54] Though not necessarily an sh script. Could be bash, ksh, csh etc [22:00] i like every part of ubuntu, except this program installing part, this is killing me [22:00] such a easy task under windows, why is it so difficult under linux? [22:02] chrisoffice: It's not. It's easier in Ubuntu. [22:02] well, it is easier if u can find it in the depository [22:02] It's fairly easy in Windows, if an installer.exe is provided. You'd just double click it and it installs. [22:02] That's what deb files do in Ubuntu. [22:02] but many program are only in tar.gz formats [22:03] This is more akin to having to download a .zip file in windows, then extract the zip and put each file in the right place [22:03] so .deb is like .exe under windows, right? [22:03] Which you'd avoid in windows, and in Ubuntu, you want to avoid having to install from these tarballs (.tar.gz) [22:04] chrisoffice: No .deb is more like an installer exe. [22:04] no, it is easy to unzip and install in windows [22:04] but it is tough to install tar.gz in linux [22:04] Not if you need to put different files in different places [22:05] chrisoffice: Which is why you want to avoid having to do install from a tar.gz in the first place. [22:05] well, but for many programs, tar.gz is the ONLY option [22:05] The software center contains a vast ammount of software which you can install with much more ease than in windows [22:07] chrisoffice: Not many in my experience. And it's the ones that made the software that couldn't be bothered to package it properly, leaving you with the burden [22:07] ok, now i downloaded the alfa driver in /home/chris/download/ folder, now i need to fire up the terminal and go to that folder first? [22:07] help me go through this one time if u can [22:08] Sure, though it's probably ~/Downloads, plural and with uppercase D. [22:08] ok [22:08] sorry for the typo [22:09] how should i go to this folder in terminal? [22:09] And you want to do this as your user (i.e. no sudo -i) [22:09] why? [22:09] cd ~/Downloads [22:09] why not sudo? [22:09] It's only the last step that requires root [22:09] i c [22:10] Or, well, it depends on what the tar.gz contains. [22:11] so when i fire up the terminal, i m already in the /home/chris/ folder? [22:11] that's why i only need ~/download [22:11] Downloads [22:11] sorry [22:12] ~/ is expanded to /home/chris/ (or whatever your homedir is) [22:12] e.g. try echo ~ [22:12] But yes, you'll be in your homefolder in a fresh terminal, so just cd Downloads should do [22:13] after echo !, /home/chris [22:13] Aye, for me that echo prints /home/geirha [22:13] but cd ~/Downloads does not work, no such directory [22:13] how do i list directories under a folder? [22:14] ls [22:14] ok, i m in [22:14] now i do xzvf? [22:15] tar zxvf thefile.tar.gz [22:15] There's tab completion if you know what that is [22:15] z is not needed anymoar ;) [22:15] meh, doesn't hurt :) [22:19] shot, it does not work, the file i downloades is a .zip file [22:19] weird [22:19] then unzip thefile.zip [22:20] unzip -x file [22:20] after extract, i do ls [22:20] 036NHR_linux_v3.0.2164.20110715.zip [22:20] RTL8192CU_8188CUS_8188CE-VAU_linux_v3.0.2164.20110715 [22:21] shows these 2 files [22:21] The last one there is probably a directory [22:21] cd RTL [22:21] yes [22:22] i should cd this directory 1st? [22:22] yes, type cd RTL then hit the tab key [22:22] yep, i m in [22:22] now i do tar zxvf? [22:23] No idea. [22:23] Depends on what that directory contains [22:24] android_reference_codes driver readme.txt wpa_supplicant_hostapd [22:24] document install.sh ReleaseNotes.doc [22:25] xdg-open readme.txt [22:25] i did [22:26] i just click it to open [22:26] It will hopefully explain how to procede [22:27] not really though [22:28] ok, i found a tar.gz file under the driver folder [22:28] ls [22:28] Could be you're just supposed to run install.sh [22:29] how do i run install.sh? [22:30] Seems there's some instructions for some of the drivers here: http://www.alfa.com.tw/in/front/bin/ptlist.phtml?Category=105437 [22:30] I see some "How do you install the Ubuntu driver?" pdfs ... [22:31] ok, i did not look there [22:31] but in the releasenote, it says 6. install.sh [22:31] Script to easy make 8192cu driver. [22:33] this is really getting complicated, under documents, there is a file named HowTo build driver under kernel tree [22:34] open it, it says [22:35] Yes, a kernel driver is very complicated to build by yourself [22:35] can't even paste here [22:35] damn [22:36] 1. Copy our driver into drivers/net/wireless/ and rename it as rtl8192cu, for example. [22:36] 2. Add obj-$(CONFIG_RTL8192CU) += rtl8192cu/ into drivers/net/wireless/Makefile: [22:36] 3. Add source "drivers/net/wireless/rtl8192cu/Kconfig" into drivers/net/wireless/Kconfig [22:36] 4. Config kernel, for example, with “make menuconfig” command to select y or m for our driver [22:36] 5. Build kernel with “make” command [22:36] Well, sudo sh install.sh may or may not work. It may even hose your system. You have to trust the creators of that driver and its install script that they know what they're doing. [22:36] err, pastebin [22:38] I'd consider looking in a forum dedicated to this driver, or at the ubuntuforums. Chances are someone has done this and provided some step by step instructions for others. [22:38] ok, thanks, i will try it later [22:39] so in general, we either install from a depository or from the ppa>? [22:41] what does the .sh file normally do? cus there is always a .sh file in the tar.gz [22:42] A shell script is a file containing multiple commands in order. It usually also includes some logic and math. [22:42] it is like a autoran? [22:43] autorun in windows>? [22:43] I suppose, except it's not run automatically. [22:43] i c [22:43] You have to run it [22:43] to run the .sh file, we do sh filename.sh? [22:44] If it's an sh script, yes, that's one way to run it. Though as I said earlier, it might not be an sh script, it could be a bash script or ksh script or other. [22:45] Some people slap on .sh on the end even when it's not actually an sh script. Presumably to confuse their users. [22:45] oh, so a .sh file can mean different things, not necessarily a shell bin script [22:46] is that what u said? [22:46] It's typically a shell script, but not necessarily a script written be run with /bin/sh, it could be it's meant to be run with /bin/bash or /bin/ksh or whatever instead. [22:47] i c [22:49] The only way to tell is to open it and know what to look for. [22:49] Or run it and see if it fails, though that could have some bad side effects [22:50] and what's the difference between /bin and /usr/bin? [22:51] c, the ubuntu is getting reallly complicated if u want to master it, it is easy if u only want to use it, like using a ipad [22:51] Not much. /bin contains the most important executables that need to be around for an absolute minimal linux system. Everything else goes in /usr/bin [22:52] It's somewhat common to have /usr a separate partition, so in case mounting that partition fails, you have executables in /bin and /sbin to help you figure out why and/or fix it. [22:52] i c, what about /mnt folder? [22:53] Mainly used to hold temporary mounts [22:53] i c, so sbin is also for executables? [22:54] Yes, for executables only admins can run [22:55] so for different users, each one has a different bin folder, or the same bin folder? [22:56] i guess u can install a program so that only one user can use it [22:56] executables regular users can run goes in bin [22:56] Yes, you can install a program in your homedir and run it from there [22:57] i thought the executables went to /usr/bin folder after u install it [22:57] how are u going to install it in ur home dir? [22:58] Well, you wouldn't do that with a deb. Usually, executables you put in your homedir are simple scripts. [22:59] But advanced users may build and install software in their homedirs to test them out, or in order to create deb packages of them. [22:59] so a debian file is like a executable file? [22:59] .deb is like .exe? [23:00] No, it's a package. It contains an archive of files, where to put the files, what questions to ask when installing it, and commands to run before/after copying the files. [23:01] It's not an executable. It must be opened by a package manager in order to be installed. [23:02] but there is a installer inside the package though [23:02] like a .exe inside a folder in windows? [23:02] Not really. [23:03] so what good is a debian file over a tar.gz? [23:03] tar.gz is a folder and it contains all sort of files as well [23:03] You can just double click it to open it in a package manager, then click install. [23:03] It will first check if you have all dependencies in place though. [23:04] Ubuntu is not like windows, where all applications bundle their own version of shared libraries. [23:04] In Ubuntu, a shared library is a shared library [23:05] So if some software requires a particular library, a deb for that library must also be installed. [23:05] well, u lost me here, but anyway, i will study it more [23:05] i c [23:06] it is like a MAIN function in C language [23:06] u need to call the library first [23:06] b4 executing anything [23:07] When you install software via the software center, it downloads and installs a deb file from a repository of deb packages. It also downloads and installs all deb files that id depends on. [23:07] so a debian package contains the library for that particular program [23:07] a deb package may contain a library, it may contain a program, it may contain just documentation [23:07] i c [23:07] get it now [23:08] so ubuntu is based on debian [23:08] right? [23:08] yes [23:08] i c [23:09] great help, geirha, i really appreciate your time