Where to browse for applications/software if I'm not familiar with linux apps?

[pandaeyedcat]

Does it have a Playstore like Android where I can see a selection of applications, there names and their uses? I tried looking at Synaptics but I got more confused since I am not familiar with anything I found there  :'(

[DeepThought]

Hi [member=8089]pandaeyedcat[/member]  There is no "Playstore" in linux as most distros have their own repositories and their own slant on available software.

If you know the windows equivalent you can look up linux alternatives here :

https://alternativeto.net/software/micro...form=linux

In the linked example it shows alternatives for Excel. Just type in the search box at the top right for the software you are looking for. Each answer will have a link to their website for more info.

Then look in synaptic for the software of your choice and install.

Hope this helps

[bitsnpcs]

Hello pandaeyedcat,

there is a selection of popular used software in  Menu>System>Lite Software

In Synaptic if you left click x1 on one of the results in the package column, it gives you a description of it in the lower pane/window.
When you find one you like you right click and Mark for Installation, after you have finished marking one or more for installation, you click the Apply icon on the top of the Synaptic window.
To find additional ones there is a search bar to enter its name. Where I don't know a name initially I would type a keyword and read each result until I found the one I needed, some of the results I didn't read as in the far right column of its line there is a short description and this would help to see which ones were not what I wanted.

Another way as [member=7644]DeepThought[/member]  wrote is to look online (there is a LL thread of this too), you could search for them later in Synaptic as you know there name. Not every software is available in Synaptic. Some require downloads, I found this the most difficult method when first installing things, as it requires more things that need to be learned of how to do this.

Another way is PPA, I've used some from here

https://www.noobslab.com/p/ppa.html

do check its downloads section for compatibility first though

[trinidad]

Simplest safe way is to look online for Linux applications to do what you want them to do, then check using the search box to see if they are available in synaptic. PPAs can be a problem  for new users.

TC