[SOLVED] Additional Software availability LL vs. Mint

[ChrisL]

Hi folks,

Just a couple questions here. I run Linux Lite on my oldest, slowest computer and Mint 13 on another old computer.  I loaded the Mint 13 before I found Linux Lite, but overall it's pretty good (Mate Desktop which seems pretty light as well).

I recent acquired a significantly better 64 bit Tower machine, an HP dc5800 with the Intel Core2Duo 3.0GHz.  Compared to the others it screams and I expect I could actually utilize STEAM if I want.  It actually seems faster than my I5 laptop which has 2X the momory - but getting off topic here. I am deciding whether to go with Mint Mate 17, or LL 2.0 (both 64 bit) for an OS.

My preference overall is LL, but the last nagging concern seems to be the availability of software.  Mint has the Mint Software Manager with thousands of packages - which is bright, functional, has categories, like shopping at the software store but everything is free.  It clearly has it's appeal.

Upon a little more investigation it seems like most (maybe all?) that software (in the Mint Software Manager) is available through Synaptic Package Manager ... is this actually the case? I can certainly do without all the glitter (though I must admit the Categories set-up is nice) but I would like access to at least most of the same software.  Of course I expect it goes both way too, with some software available in LL through the "Install Additional Software" application probably not available easily available in Mint, and this LL tool has worked great for me.  Just trying to get the big picture here.

My last question ... is the Synaptic Manager in Mint and LL identical (in terms of software content) with the exception of Distro  specific stuff?  I am guessing its' Ubuntu and pretty much the same?

Thanks!
                  - Chris

[gold_finger]

Synaptic Package Manager is same in both and will allow you to install same packages in LL that you can with either Synaptic or Mint Software Manager in Mint.  LL comes with certain extra repositories already added to the system that allow for installing some popular packages that are not automatically included when looking in Synaptic (or Software Manager) in Mint and that is one difference.  Common example would be Google's Chrome browser.  That can be easily installed to LL through "Install Additional Software" menu because its repo has already been added to the system;  whereas in Mint, you'd have to manually do that yourself first.

Main problem when just starting out with Linux is that package names are frequently strange and bare no obvious resemblance to function you might be looking for.  Synaptic is great, but not good if you don't already know the name of the package you need.  The categorization and package descriptions in a software manager like Mint's definitely makes things easier for newbies when they just want to explore what's available and don't have any idea which packages are for what.

LL tries to include the most common programs that people use in its "Install Additional Software" menu to alleviate problem of finding those with Synaptic and to make installation of them extremely easy.  It's possible to add a software manager to LL, but doing so can cause problems.  Adding Ubuntu's software center (package name = software-center) definitely does mess up LL, so you don't want to use that.  The lubuntu-software-center might be a viable option to try out.  (Just enter it in search bar of Synaptic to find and install it.)  It does not install most of the dependency packages the Ubuntu's software-center does that cause the conflicts with LL's proper functioning.  But I'm not 100% sure that it won't cause some conflicts, so you may want to clone your drive before attempting to use that so you have an easy way to get everything back to the way it was if the system gets messed up.  (If your install is fairly new and you don't have much reason to save what's there, then doing a fresh re-installation is quicker.)

[bobw]

Hi ChrisL.  Just to add to what gold_finger has said, although Synaptic doesn't organise packages by category, you can search by the type of program you're looking for (eg image viewer, browser, file manager), rather than just by name.  It returns a rather confusing list of packages with brief descriptions, but more information is displayed when you click on one.  With a bit of further research and/or testing, you can usually find what you're looking for.

[ChrisL]

Thanks gold_finger and bobw for the quick and thoughtful replies.  That's what I need to know, and will go forward with the LL install. 

Gold_finger, you hit the nail on the head:

"Main problem when just starting out with Linux is that package names are frequently strange and bare no obvious resemblance to function you might be looking for.  Synaptic is great, but not good if you don't already know the name of the package you need.  The categorization and package descriptions in a software manager like Mint's definitely makes things easier for newbies when they just want to explore what's available and don't have any idea which packages are for what."

This makes me wonder since LL is aimed at being Windows-user friendly if just adding a few more programs and some categories to the LL Additional Software installer might be worth the effort (easy to say as I have no idea of the effort involved ); not a lot of glitter but I think the categories add some additional "browsing" functionality.

I pretty much know what I want now, so will probably forgo the Lubuntu Software Center experiment (though I would love to know if anyone else has tried it).

Once again the LL Community answers the call! Thanks!

Chris

[ChrisL]

  The lubuntu-software-center might be a viable option to try out.

Maybe I will give the Lubuntu Center a try, looks like there should not be any issues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfmTpokqGww

Chris

[ChrisL]

Just a quick update.  I installed 2.0 64 bit, probably the smoothest install I have ever had with Linux.  Only snag at all was after install I hit the button to restart and it ejected the CD and then just sat there ... I had left the room so maybe it was my fault and there is a step I missed or something; pretty painless though.

I did add the Lubuntu software Center, and added software to my system from LSC, and with LL Additional Software Menu, and Synaptic!

Happy LL Camper!  ;D

Thanks all!

Chris

[bobw]

Jerry - Do you have any advice, please, as to whether it is ok to use Lubuntu Software Centre in LL?

[gold_finger]

Jerry - Do you have any advice, please, as to whether it is ok to use Lubuntu Software Centre in LL?

I'll run it on two of my test computers and see if it causes any problems.  I don't think it will because it doesn't add any packages that look like they'll cause issues (as opposed to Ubuntu Software Center, which definitely does).  Will report back on this after a week or two of use.

[Coastie]

Jerry told me when I was using an earlier version that the Lubuntu or Ubuntu Software Centers messed something up on my install of that earlier version. An earlier version I used had a modified version of the Lubuntu Software Center called the Lite Software Center.

In Spatry's new review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMYaLO9B...tube_gdata,he recommended and demonstrating installing the Lubuntu Software Center.

Fortunately, I have progressed pass needing a software center.

I also wonder if one of these software center would be OK on 2.0.  :-\

[Valtam]

For me, the only well tested and reliable software manager in Linux Lite is Synaptic. So from that you can deduce that I am not in favour of using anything but Synaptic.