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I can't find a program I wanted from the software centre, so had to download a tar file, but it wont install. Do I have to have a degree in physics or coding just to get it to install? I can't understand why a mouse click wont start the install process? I've tried to figure out the 'compile' etc commands, but I can't do it. Thanks

Rush
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1 Answers1

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Mr Rush every in learn has to be given some period to understand it. When installing using a tar file we have to follow certain steps to get it installed:

  1. Download the tar file

  2. Untar it with tar -xvf finename.tar

  3. Change into the untarred file and inside you will find a README file to direct you on how to install the application as was intended or designed by the owners.

  4. For step 3 we may see a simple install script that we may have to make installable (depending on whether that has already been done by the creators), from our terminal using the command:

    chmod u+x install.sh
    • Note that it can be called anything or even lack a file extension

  5. But ofcourse the tar file can be untarred by right clicking on it with your mouse and selecting Extra here.

Now to answer your click issue, Ubuntu comes with .deb package file that are installed using the mouse click, if you are asked to use a tar file then it's the creators fault and not Ubuntu. They were too lazy or busy to create a .deb package file. They alone can say why they prefer tar file rather than .deb files.

George Udosen
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