Installing new application

Question

I got few linux applications from a chip(MAGAZINE) cd I wanted to try (especially vlc and a few others), but didn't know how to install them. I saw a button named install it gives me some info but I can't install things like I used to with windows. I installed a few with software center, but my network connection is slow and it took me more than a hour to download an install a 10mb software. So please tell me how to install such software.

Answer 1

First ensure that the CD does contain the applications, sometimes it just brings some info about the apps and a link to their installation trhough the Software Center.

If the applications are, in fact, into the CD, then search into CD folders to find the applications as .deb or .bin or .tar or .sh files.

If it's a .deb file

Just to double click on it and Software Center will install it for you;

If it's a .bin file

Rename it to .bin32/.bin64 (depending your arch, if you don't know just use .bin32), go to properties and permit it to run as a program, then just double click on it and you will open the installator;

If it's a .tar file

Double click on it and extract everything to a folder of your desire, into this folder you may find an icon with the program name, just double click on it to start the program.

If it's a .sh file

Go to properties and permit it to run as a program and then double click on it to start the installator.

Answer 2

If I am not mistaking, the chip magazine only offers installers for Windows. You should be able to run these with a software called "WINE". A better way would be to download the *.deb files (or the source code) from the homepages of these programs (if they offer support for ubuntu) trough a friends PC with a better connection to the internet and to install (or compile) them on your PC.

But: chip mainly offers software to tweak you system, you don't need that on ubuntu ;) And: the software-center is the 'best' way to get software for Ubuntu (i think). so, as long as it is a matter of time (and not money) i would prefer getting a cup of tea/coffee over the other methods, because this way you will be able to easily update the software.