Revision of How is software installation on Trisquel different from on Windows? from Wed, 09/24/2014 - 17:05
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Many people think that the only way to get new software is to install it from a CD, or downloading an installer from the Web. This is the way that programs are normally installed on Windows.
Browsing spurious websites looking for program installers is an imprudent practice that can lead to downloading malware, or visiting sites that exploit flaws in your web browser and/or plugins.
Trisquel's main method of software installation is different to that of Windows. In Trisquel, software is installed through Trisquel's repository, which doesn't contain any proprietary software.
A repository is a server that maintains the software that can be installed on your computer. You can access the repositories through Add/Remove Applications, or Synaptic Package Manager (advanced).
Add/Remove Applications
Synaptic Package Manager
Why having official repositories is an advantage
- Central management of software: All our software is updated through the same place, the Update manager, found under System Settings.
- Security: Our software can be screened for malware (or antifeatures) before being distributed to the users of Trisquel. We also sign (think of it like a seal you find on the back of an envelope) the software so that, if the software is somehow tampered with, the user will be alerted to the dangers of installing it.
- Our commitment to free software: We can ensure that only software that complies with the Four Freedoms can be found on the repositories.
Is there any method of installing software outside of the official repositories?
Yes, but this is not recommended because we do not have control over the software or the servers they are hosted on and you will be putting your trust outside of the Trisquel project. As such, they will be briefly touched upon.
The are 3 other methods of installing software in Trisquel; through a 3rd-party repository (PPA), from a .DEB file and building from source code.
- A PPA (short for Personal Package Archive) is a special kind of repository, usually used to get newer releases of software. This is not to be confused with being "up to date" as most software have a stable version that is regularly updated. Since PPAs may contain nonfree software or malware, we will not explain how to add PPAs in this article and suggest posting your questions in the forum or installing from the official repositories instead. There are some PPAs that only contain free software, maintained by users of Trisquel. Before installing software from such a PPA you should verify that the PPA follows the Free System Distribution Guidelines. A list of repositories created by Trisquel Users is here.
- Installing software from a .deb file should be familiar if you have used Windows before. A .deb file is similar to a Windows installer file. Like PPAs, we do not recommend using theses as they are usually nonfree software and can possibly be malware. Use the official repositories instead.
- Lastly, building from the source code is doing exactly what it says, getting the source code of some particular software, and building a version that is compatible with Trisquel. Building from source is rather complex and is usually a last resort for most experienced Trisquel users. Building from source isn't necessary as the software will be found in the repositories.
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