Panel customization and a can of worms & no clean uninstalls?

[Goatmilk]

Seems like you have synaptic open which creates a lock file, so when you try to run a command as root/sudo from the command-line it warns you about another process already using the repos.

I might have... I'm never quite sure what runs and what not. With all my griping about the Windows taskbar, it did serve an purpose...

I actually prefer the Synaptic Package Manager, as it seems easier to see what is there and what not.

I still use MX Package Installer to install a program, simply because it tells me what's safe.

Still can't quite figure out where to find the public keys and the sources

 

[f33dm3bits]

Still can't quite figure out where to find the public keys and the sources

What are you wanting to install?

 

[Goatmilk]

What are you wanting to install?

Nothing for now - I just want to learn where it is.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

The brave line is gone, I've wiped it as f33dm3bits suggested.

Dirty lines are the owl@lappy or what?

Yeah, you can follow the same procedure for libreworld, that is, both files removed.
Then run sudo apt update to update index, followed by sudo apt upgrade and sudo apt autopurge

Next optional step is to also purge any configs of those files:

List and remove left over configs

# List
apt list '?config-files'
# Remove
sudo apt-get purge $(dpkg -l | grep '^rc' | awk '{print $2}')

Thank @osprey for this awesome solution.

This remnants happens when you run sudo apt remove <package_name> instead of sudo apt purge <package_name> followed by sudo apt autopurge

 

[f33dm3bits]

Nothing for now - I just want to learn where it is.

The main sources files for Debian are listed here: /etc/apt/sources.list. Some package are not in the default repos and can sometimes be installed from third party sources, you can either list them in that same file or you can add them as a separate file under /etc/apt/sources.list.d.

Most third-party repos will have instructions of how to import their public key, which are used to sign their packages. Take for example the Brave installation instructions.

Installing Brave on Linux | Brave

The Brave browser is a fast, private and secure web browser for PC, Mac and mobile. Download now to enjoy a faster ad-free browsing experience that saves data and battery life by blocking tracking software.

brave.com

These are their instructions.

1. sudo apt install curl

2. sudo curl -fsSLo /usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg

3. echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg] https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/ stable main"|sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.list

4. sudo apt update

5. sudo apt install brave-browser

1. They tell you to install a needed dependency to retrieve the public key, most of the time this package is already part of the base install.
2. Here they tell you to run a command to retrieve their publickey, which then gets imported into the system's key ring.
3. Here they have you created a separate sources file for the Brave repo under /etc/apt/sources.list.d
4. Here they have you update your system's sources so that the package information of the repo is available on your system.
5. Here you run a command to install it on your system. For steps 4 and 5 you should also be able to use the "synaptic" gui package manager to do this.

 

[Goatmilk]

These are their instructions.

1. They tell you to install a needed dependency to retrieve the public key, most of the time this package is already part of the base install.
2. Here they tell you to run a command to retrieve their publickey, which then gets imported into the system's key ring.
3. Here they have you created a separate sources file for the Brave repo under /etc/apt/sources.list.d
4. Here they have you update your system's sources so that the package information of the repo is available on your system.
5. Here you run a command to install it on your system. For steps 4 and 5 you should also be able to use the "synaptic" gui package manager to do this.

I see. I've installed it via MX Package Installer, though, were all you were asked to do was to click on a box.... It's probably not always the best option to go for beginner-friendly.

If I install something in the next time, it'll be a simplified task manager that shows open programs running in the background. I never know if I shut something or just send it into the wings. Now MX Linux does have a Task Manager, but it shows all running processes and I get a bit bleary-eyed when looking at it.

For now, I'll try to get along with what I have installed already, and will try again to get rid of the stuff that I really don't need - like those pre-installed games. Not only to speed up the system (I can't imagine those little things use much), but more to get the hang of it and get used to everything.

Thanks to you and everybody who is of some much help to me here!