Quote:
Originally Posted by DuckieTigger
Did you make a little mistake there in an overeager attempt to say that there is no such thing as dependency issues in Linux? Or did you just say that the only way to get a program installed on Linux with dependencies is through centralized distribution?
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I wasn't even discussing dependency issues in that part, but OK... A centralized distribution method makes it easier to install software, but it's not the only way.
For Debian based OSes:
You can also use apt, which will install software, update software, as well as check and install dependencies when needed.
Use .deb packages on Debian based OSes. For average Joe, this is like an .exe.
You can install software from PPA repositories on Ubuntu and Linux Mint. Add the PPA and then just use apt to install.
And of course, you can do a manual installation through terminal. This is of course where you can run into dependency hell if you aren't careful.
The thing is, if you are using one of the more commonly used distros, the latter option is very rarely needed. Most software either is in the store, has a more up to date PPA that you can add instead of using the store, has a deb (or rpm for Fedora) or has it's own preferred installation method (i.e. Calibre).
The last time I had to mess with a manual installation of software was years ago when I first started using Linux and needed a graphics driver back in 2008.
Needing to do a manual install usually means you are installing something pretty obscure these days or you are running an OS that is more complex than the average user would choose.