Downloading Linux Apps

[amit.mentee]

Hello!

I would like to install Linux system on my laptop. Am confused about the apps I have been using on Windows. Where Can I get the apps for download?

 

[AlphaObeisance]

Software on Linux is generally not installed the same way as on Windows; additionally, proprietary softwares like Adobe products typically don't play nice on Linux.

So I would first recommend finding out if the software you want to install is available on Linux; and if it's not, find alternatives that could replace said software.

Your OP provides zero detail that will help us help you. We need system specs, distro version, software you want to install, at the very least.

Why do we need this info?

Well, are you using a Debian derivative or an Arch Derivative? The syntax used to install software via CLI is entirely different, if it's got a GUI based package manager that's generally different too. GUI package managers are like "google play" or the "microsoft store" if you will.

Details my friend, details. I understand being new to a system, but if you were willing to completely wipe Windows to install Linux, you should really at the very least be willing to study the fundamental differences between the two. Typically before committing the software to bare metal.

Otherwise you go walking in blind and asking questions without providing any relevant information that would enable us to help you. This is extremely common among new users so don't feel bad. It is what it is.

Now you must decide, are you actually willing to learn a new system, or is it simply going to be too inconvenient for you to do so?

 

[dos2unix]

I would like to install Linux system on my laptop. Am confused about the apps I have been using on Windows. Where Can I get the apps for download?

It's slightly different for different distros. Also, it can be different depending on what you want to download.
We would need to know what distro you are running. Typically you can't run most windows apps directly, but
usually there is some program that does the same thing.

 

[Brickwizard]

In confluence with my associates above. Linux distributions in the main will have a repository of drivers and applications approved for that distribution. so we recommend you first look at the packages available there, then consider approved sources [manufacturers websites if they support Linux GitHub and the like] ,always avoid 3rd party links to applications as, they may be compromised.

 

[Condobloke]

I would like to install Linux system on my laptop

If you install Linux Mint, it has a Software Manager....accessible via the Menu.

It contains over 50,000 apps....usually a single click install (and uninstall)

windows .exe files do not run in Linux (unless you set up wine, or run a dual boot in which case you would then have windows and Linux, either on the one disk or on separate disks....or in a VM)

Personally I prefer just Linux...on its own. I have zero reliance on any windows programs.......far less messy.and does all I need it to do

 

[bob466]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[osprey]

Hello!

I would like to install Linux system on my laptop. Am confused about the apps I have been using on Windows. Where Can I get the apps for download?

For linux alternative programs or applications to MS, this thread is helpful especially if you follow the links in posts #16 (by @The Duck ) and #17 (by @KGIII ):

https://www.linux.org/threads/alternatives-to-windows-software.49469/

Confusion is not unusual in the first instance with linux, but ameliorates after a time with learning

 

[The Duck]

If you install Linux Mint, it has a Software Manager....accessible via the Menu.

It contains over 50,000 apps....usually a single click install (and uninstall)

Just about all Linux distros have a Software Manager ....accessible via the Menu.

They also contain many many apps.... usually a single click installs (and uninstalls apps)

Most of the mainstream flagship Linux distros are pretty much the same with the exception of the desktop environment.

For the most Linux is Linux some will say different and that's fine I'm not a fanboy of any Linux distro most work fine OOTB or have for me on my old Frankenstein desktops.

 

[AlphaObeisance]

Most of the mainstream flagship Linux distros are pretty much the same with the exception of the desktop environment.

Careful now! We can't be heard telling people that "Linux is just Linux", the delusional will call us blasphemers!

In all seriousness, you nailed it all on the head!

 

[APTI]

I use Fedora and the only things I can't find a replacement for in Linux is Garmin Express and Itunes. If you must use those you will need to put them in a VM with windows to run. That is what I do for Garmin. Otherwise everything else has an equivalent,

MS Office = Libre Office (much better)
quickbooks = GnuCash
photoshop = gimp
and many many more.

 

[amit.mentee]

For linux alternative programs or applications to MS, this thread is helpful especially if you follow the links in posts #16 (by @The Duck ) and #17 (by @KGIII ):

https://www.linux.org/threads/alternatives-to-windows-software.49469/

Confusion is not unusual in the first instance with linux, but ameliorates after a time with learning

That was insightful. Do you mind suggesting me with more apps alternatives alike this?

 

[amit.mentee]

That's

If you install Linux Mint, it has a Software Manager....accessible via the Menu.

It contains over 50,000 apps....usually a single click install (and uninstall)

windows .exe files do not run in Linux (unless you set up wine, or run a dual boot in which case you would then have windows and Linux, either on the one disk or on separate disks....or in a VM)

Personally I prefer just Linux...on its own. I have zero reliance on any windows programs.......far less messy.and does all I need it to do

sounds great mate! Does linux also have updates like windows often gets updates daily which is trouble?

 

[Condobloke]

Linux has updates, of course. I install updates daily. I rarely (if ever !) leave an update out.

Some time ago, there was a kernel update which played havoc with my OS (Linux Mint 21.3 Cinnamon)
'I simply rebooted into the usbI have with that OS on....accessed Timeshift from there.....restored to the snapshot taken before the kernel update....timeshift automatically rebooted fro me....and that was the end of that.
All up, the entire procedure took around 7 minutes and a cup of tea.

So, to summarise.

Have Timeshift set up so it stores 3 daily snapshots, and 1 boot snapshot....Store them on an External drive (just in case your main drive dies)

if you happen to get a bad update (seriously unlikely), just restore the snapshot from before the update and everything good again

Timeshift is similar to windows system restore...except...Timeshift actually works

What I have typed above is a worst case scenario. Linux updates are safe. The thousands and thousands of updates I have installed without a murmur are fair proof of that.

 

[Brickwizard]

Just to add to what @Condobloke has said above, Linux updates only occasionally need a re-boot to install them compared to windows, and its not automatic, you will get a message the system needs a re-boot [usually after a kernel up[grade] but if it takes you 2 minutes or 2 days to re-boot nothing is installed till that point in time.

 

[wizardfromoz]

That was insightful. Do you mind suggesting me with more apps alternatives alike this?

If you revisit that thread you were referred to, read #17

https://www.linux.org/threads/alternatives-to-windows-software.49469/post-226664

Alternativeto.net is very useful

 

[osprey]

That was insightful. Do you mind suggesting me with more apps alternatives alike this?

Whilst the listing of linux alternatives to MS is quite extensive in the suggested links in post #7, there is conceivably an issue of scale when looking at alternatives.

Whilst it's very difficult to determine a listing of MS programs available for any version of Windows, information in linux is readily available. For example, at the time of writing, the number of available packages in the debian package repository is over 66,000. See here:

[tom@min ~]$ apt-cache stats | grep 'Normal packages'
  Normal packages: 66431

If one is fairly clear as to the sort of program they want in linux to replace a MS program, there's a few ways of going about it. One relatively simple way to resolve the issue of finding an appropriate package to replicate, or perhaps just approximate, a program in MS, is to query AI. In this case, I used "Gemini" as follows, showing the queries and relevant details of its reply:

What is a windows program that stores passwords?
<snip>
"Windows Credential Manager" is built into Windows.
<snip>
1Password, LastPass, Dashlane, RoboForm.
<snip>
What is a linux program that stores passwords?
<snip>
Bitwarden, KeePassXC, 1Password, Dashlane, Pass.
<snip>

The finding is that some of the available programs to store passwords are the same, and some not. Bear in mind that some of the resulting suggestions may, or may not be in the repository of a linux distro. That is resolved by querying the repository. In debian and distros based on it, that can be done thus:

apt search keepassxc

and the output in this case shows the details of the keepassxc package. However, if a package is not available from the repository, it will usually be found elsewhere such as at github, codeberg, sourceforge or some other repo.

There are MS programs that do not have direct replicants or even approximates in linux. There are various attempted resolutions to that, some more successful than others, but that's another topic I guess