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[palu]

Suppose I have no prior experience withe Linux or the command line. Please explain to me, in simple terms, how to download, install, and run a program.

[My Urist Eternal]

Suppose I have no prior experience withe Linux or the command line. Please explain to me, in simple terms, how to download, install, and run a program.

Also, you don't know what a script is, you don't know what an executable is, and you don't know what a command line is.

And you DEFINITELY don't know what it means to "compile" something.

[lethosor]

Suppose I have no prior experience withe Linux or the command line. Please explain to me, in simple terms, how to download, install, and run a program.

That depends on the kind of program you're referring to. If you mean something like DF, you'd download it and place it anywhere to run it. If you have a distro with a relatively user-friendly window manager, there's really no noticeable difference between Linux and other operating systems in this regard.

If you're referring to libraries or command-line tools, those are installed through a package manager. For example, running "sudo apt-get install libsdl" from a command line will install "libsdl" (or SDL). I personally prefer using the command line, but several distros, including Ubuntu, have graphical programs to accomplish the same thing, similar to the Windows/Mac app store.
Edit: To clarify, this second part refers to libraries or command-line tools (which would often be used from the command line in any case), not typical GUI programs. I wasn't sure what was meant by "program", since previous discussions seemed to be using "program" and "library" interchangeably, but a program with a GUI is usually easy to install if you're using a distro like Ubuntu, Fedora, etc..

[LordBaal]

sudo what??

[Putnam]

sudo what??

You don't need to know the math behind Dwarf Fortress's fluid simulation to know how to make a moat.

[My Urist Eternal]

If you're referring to libraries or command-line tools, those are installed through a package manager. For example, running "sudo apt-get install libsdl" from a command line will install "libsdl" (or SDL). I personally prefer using the command line, but several distros, including Ubuntu, have graphical programs to accomplish the same thing, similar to the Windows/Mac app store.

The simple answer, everyone! 

[palu]

Suppose I have no prior experience withe Linux or the command line. Please explain to me, in simple terms, how to download, install, and run a program.

Also, you don't know what a script is, you don't know what an executable is, and you don't know what a command line is.

And you DEFINITELY don't know what it means to "compile" something.

These too.

If you're referring to libraries or command-line tools, those are installed through a package manager. For example, running "sudo apt-get install libsdl" from a command line will install "libsdl" (or SDL). I personally prefer using the command line, but several distros, including Ubuntu, have graphical programs to accomplish the same thing, similar to the Windows/Mac app store.

The simple answer, everyone! 

What's a library? Why cant I install my program and have it Just Work^tm? Where do I type that? How do I know what to type? That's how you install libsdl (whatever that is), but how do I install other things? Why cant I just play my game, or browse the web, or use Office? What is this command line??

[Uronym]

What's a library? Why cant I install my program and have it Just Work^tm? Where do I type that? How do I know what to type? That's how you install libsdl (whatever that is), but how do I install other things? Why cant I just play my game, or browse the web, or use Office? What is this command line??

For the record, I play Dwarf Fortress on Ubuntu and it has always Just Worked™. Personally, I find Ubuntu easier to use than Windows. I mean, if you don't like "Linux", maybe you just saw some masochist running some hardcore distro without a graphical interface.

[palu]

What's a library? Why cant I install my program and have it Just Work^tm? Where do I type that? How do I know what to type? That's how you install libsdl (whatever that is), but how do I install other things? Why cant I just play my game, or browse the web, or use Office? What is this command line??

For the record, I play Dwarf Fortress on Ubuntu and it has always Just Worked™. Personally, I find Ubuntu easier to use than Windows. I mean, if you don't like "Linux", maybe you just saw some masochist running some hardcore distro without a graphical interface.

This is just for the sake of argument, I haven't really had much experience one way or the other with linux, and don't have anything against it. I'm just curious. I think each has its own pros and cons, but I don't think one or the other is strictly superior. Windows might be better for the average user, and Linux might be better for powerusers and people who want more options.

[smakemupagus]

What's a library? Why cant I install my program and have it Just Work^tm? Where do I type that? How do I know what to type? That's how you install libsdl (whatever that is), but how do I install other things? Why cant I just play my game, or browse the web, or use Office? What is this command line??

Ubuntu Software Center is indistinguishable from Steam or the App Store.  Click on little pictures, now you have program. 

[Mipe]

If you get to that part. Finding network drivers for an aged computer is a terrifying experience.

[GavJ]

Yeah I was just about to say... Is Ubuntu and/or the Ubuntu software center available on the Ubuntu software center?

[miauw62]

installing ubuntu is just as hard as it is to install any other OS.
1. download iso from the ubuntu site
2. burn iso to disk (or usb but that's harder and boo hoo we are 5 year olds that dont know how to do computer so we dont do that)
3. insert disk in computer you want to install ubuntu on
4. reboot computer, mash f keys (this differs from bios to bios)
5. change boot preferences to boot from CD instead of hard drive
6. reboot
7. ubuntu now gives you an ability to run a livecd or install
8. follow the instructions on screen

i'd like to note that these steps are exactly the same for installing windows. (except that you cant run a livecd of windows)

debian even has a webinstall where you download a tiny iso, and during the install of debian you download the rest of the OS.
so network drivers probably aren't a problem, and if they are they are probably just as much of a problem for windows.

There are basically four ways to install something on ubuntu:
way one: (this automatically installs dependencies)
1. open terminal
(optional step: type apt-cache search [searchterm] to search packages)
2. type sudo apt-get install [packagename]
3. type password
4. type Y

way two:
1. open software center
2. search for the thing you need
3. install

way three: (this is what steam uses)
1. download .deb file
2. double-click .deb file
3. confirm that you trust this file
4. install

way four: (rather uncommon)
1. download weird package
2. open terminal
3. navigate to weird package
4. type "./executablename" or "sh startscript"

(bonus way 5: COMPILE FROM SOURCE
1. download source
2. open terminal
3. navigate to source files
(optional step: type sudo apt-get install g++ to install a c++ compiler)
4. type "sudo make install" )

(there are also other ways to install things like python modules and such but you probably wont be using those unless you're programming in python)

none of these are hard and most download pages tell you which one to use.

ps: i usually use windows, just not now because i dont have a hard drive atm

[Thief^]

installing ubuntu is just as hard as it is to install any other OS.
1. download iso from the ubuntu site
2. burn iso to disk (or usb but that's harder and boo hoo we are 5 year olds that dont know how to do computer so we dont do that)
3. insert disk in computer you want to install ubuntu on
4. reboot computer, mash f keys (this differs from bios to bios)
5. change boot preferences to boot from CD instead of hard drive
6. reboot
7. ubuntu now gives you an ability to run a livecd or install
8. follow the instructions on screen

i'd like to note that these steps are exactly the same for installing windows. (except that you cant run a livecd of windows)

According to http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop
You can also just by an Ubuntu disk, in which case the install process is even simpler. As mentioned above, you can run ubuntu from the disk in order to try it before installing, as well.

There's also an online tour of ubuntu so you can see what it's like before you even download or buy anything.

Ubuntu really is going out of its way to be "easy" linux.

[Zarathustra30]

As a Windows user, only options 3 & 4 are intuitive.