Installing libraries as opposed to applications

Asked by Dave

Since one of the goals of Ubuntu Software Center is to replace synaptic, will there be some kind of facility to install an individual library that is not associated with any particular application? Additionally, will there be a method to install non-gui CLI apps through Ubuntu Software Center? For instance, ttf-ubuntu-title is a font package that would be available for use in many applications, however, it is not available for installation through one of the GUI package managers, save for Synaptic. I realize that one can install via command line in terminal, however Synaptic is a good tool for searching or browsing for a particular file to install if one does not know the exact name of the file, so as a result, an error would be generated in the terminal complaining "Couldn't find package <misspelled-package-name>". Having that capability in Ubuntu Software Center would facilitate having a single application to update, upgrade, install and remove applications and also individual libraries or files not associated with any particular program. I also install many individual CLI apps such as testdisk, wipe, etc., that have no GUI equivalent and therefore, no candidate for installation would be found in Ubuntu Software Center. In addition, I install many files, libs and progs using a single command in terminal, such as this: sudo apt-get (or aptitude) install app1 app2 lib1 lib2 <enter>. Will that capabilty (or all capabilities of apt, for that matter) still be available in terminal or will all of that be incorporated into the Software Center?

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Simon Déziel (sdeziel) said :
#1

> Will that capabilty (or all capabilities of apt, for that matter) still be available in terminal or will all of that be incorporated into the Software Center?

Sure all package management GUI use apt as backend.

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Dave (kn8aw) said :
#2

The newest Software Center in 10.04 does indeed allow installing just libs as well as apps. However, one cannot select multiple items and then install all at once. We are only able to install one-at-a-time, rather than a group as in Synaptic. It is rather like placing one item in a shopping cart and going to the checkout for each and every item you wish to get. I do like the icon differentiation of apps and libs in the selection lists however, a much nicer way to tell them apart. Software Center is shaping up nicely, though.

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