
Although the preferred method of installing programs is with the package manager, individual software package files can be downloaded and installed. Several kinds of package files are available for Linux systems. Generally, these file types are associated with the package managers of specific Linux distributions.
To install a particular application, it is preferable to select a Kubuntu package of the application, and install it with a package manager. This ensures that the program is compatible with other software on the system. If there is no version of the package available through a package manager, it may be possible to install it manually. The installation procedure depends on the type of package file.
The package files associated with Kubuntu have the .deb suffix because of Kubuntu's close relationship with the Debian GNU/Linux distribution. Individual .deb files can be downloaded and installed. Administrative privileges are required to do this.
To install a .deb file, simply
click on the .deb file to initiate the installation process. A prompt will appear for a password associated with the necessary administrative privilege.Red Hat Package Manager files have the .rpm suffix. Installing these on a Kubuntu system is not recommended. In almost all cases, a native Kubuntu .deb version of the package is available. However, if necessary, an .rpm file can be converted to a .deb package by using a program called alien.
Procedure 1. Installing Alien
Open Muon by going to → → .
Enter
alien
in the Search box near the top of the window.Locate the package named alien and select it. Press the button near the bottom right of the window.
Note
The text in the Requested column will turn green and change from “No Change” to “Install”.
Additional packages may be required as dependencies. If so, a list will be displayed. Click the button to mark them for installation.
Press the button in the toolbar.
If prompted, enter the proper password and press .
Once the installation has completed, close Muon.
Files with the .tar.gz or .tar.bz2 suffix are package files known as tarballs or source packages. These are widely used in Linux. If there is no native Kubuntu package available in any of the repositories, it may be possible to compile and install the package from source. For tips on compiling software, look at the Compiling Software page in the Ubuntu Wiki.