Chapter 20. Adding, Removing, and Updating Software
IN THIS CHAPTER
Package management overview
Using Ubuntu repositories
Finding things on your system
Using apt-get, aptitude, and Synaptic
Using the Ubuntu Update manager
Cleaning up your system
If you looked around the universe before settling on Ubuntu Linux, one of the things that you were sure to notice is that "billions and billions" of Linux distributions are available, each with its own installer, favorite desktop environment and/or X Window system window manager, set of core applications, and some way of updating, expanding, and maintaining the software that comes with the distribution. When you come right down to it, the last item is the most significant aspect of a Linux distribution aside from the size and involvement of its user and development communities. There's actually an interesting loop between ease-of-use/ease-of-maintenance and the size of the user community. A Linux distribution that makes it easy to keep existing software up to date, install new software, and figure out what's on your system in the first place is a Linux distribution that more people are apt to use. (This assumes that someone is actually keeping the distribution up to date.)
As discussed in Chapter 1, I find the Ubuntu Linux community the most exciting, dynamic, and energetic Linux community that I've ever encountered. The Ubuntu community is a committed community of both users and developers. Updates and bug fixes to existing software are frequent, ...
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