Question about terminal

Hello, I wanted to ask if in Zorin OS it is very necessary to use the terminal to install programs, I want the system for domestic use because I like its appearance, I have also heard about the UNIX system and I wanted to know to clear up the doubt so that things can be use if I'm using Linux. Thank you

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Gday @Ariileather97 , Welcome to the community!

No you may never need to use the terminal, Zorin OS is designed for friendly user interface, so everything is the same as Windows OS, In the fact that you can use GUI's ( Graphical User Interface)
Zorin OS has an App (Program GUI ) called "Software" also known as "the software store/centre.
You can "TRY" Zorin OS via a USB stick or insatll Zorin OS along side your existing windows OS ( Dual Boot).

Using TRY via usb stick will not leave anything or effect your windows OS, after you remove it, But it may/will run slower. ( because it's running from the usb stick)

Hope this helps.

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In addition to Software (gnome-software) and Software Updater (update-manager), you also have Synaptic (synaptic-pkexec), which I think is a much more elegant and useful application for managing your installed packages.

sudo apt show synaptic
Package: synaptic
Version: 0.84.6ubuntu5
Priority: optional
Section: universe/admin
Origin: Ubuntu
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Original-Maintainer: Michael Vogt <mvo@debian.org>
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug
Installed-Size: 3,379 kB
Depends: libapt-pkg6.0 (>= 1.9.0), libc6 (>= 2.14), libept1.6.0, libgcc-s1 (>= 3.0), libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0 (>= 2.22.0), libglib2.0-0 (>= 2.14.0), libgtk-3-0 (>= 3.11.7), libpango-1.0-0 (>= 1.14.0), libstdc++6 (>= 5.2), libvte-2.91-0, libxapian30 (>= 1.4.14~), hicolor-icon-theme, policykit-1
Recommends: libgtk3-perl, xdg-utils
Suggests: dwww, menu, deborphan, apt-xapian-index, tasksel, software-properties-gtk
Conflicts: menu (<< 2.1.11)
Homepage: http://www.nongnu.org/synaptic/
Download-Size: 622 kB
APT-Manual-Installed: yes
APT-Sources: http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal/universe amd64 Packages
Description: Graphical package manager
 Synaptic is a graphical package management tool based on GTK+ and APT.
 Synaptic enables you to install, upgrade and remove software packages in
 a user friendly way.
 .
 Besides these basic functions the following features are provided:
  * Search and filter the list of available packages
  * Perform smart system upgrades
  * Fix broken package dependencies
  * Edit the list of used repositories (sources.list)
  * Download the latest changelog of a package
  * Configure packages through the debconf system
  * Browse all available documentation related to a package (dwww is required)

sudo apt install synaptic

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Here's a good example @Ariileather97 ,
@Mr_Magoo Has suggested another app that can help install,
The terminal command @Mr_Magoo gives will install that app then it is a GUI when using it.

As an example this can also be installed via the "Software Store", as per photo's below,


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Thank you very much! Your answer helps me so much

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Wow, I did not know about Synaptic Package Manager.
I was just talking about where/how to install apps here Where to install apps not available in the software store? Home? /usr/local? other?

What would you recommend to do when searching to install new apps ?

  1. First checking with the Software (gnome-software) ?
  2. If no available, using the Synaptice-pkexec ?
  3. Finally, using other means to install the app.

If you download the unofficial manual for Zorin 15 you will find 3 different GUI methods. The one not mentioned in this thread is Gdebi package manager. This is extremely useful for third party sourced apps not in Synaptic or Software. It also checks that all dependencies (libraries) are present in the system before installing.

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Thank you for this method.
So, the list may be:

  1. Software (gnome-software)
  2. Synaptice-pkexec
  3. Gdebi package manager
  4. Other

@Ariileather97 I just want to mention something about the perceived difficulty of installing apps on Linux.

When I decided to switch to Linux, I spent a lot of time researching different distributions. I settled on Zorin OS and have been using it exclusively for almost two years now.

I couldn't be happier. I can't imagine going back to a non-Linux system. It has helped me make the transition to Linux in the most natural way possible.

I think that's a great order for how most people who are looking for ease of use should go about installing software.

I would just like to add that when using the Software Store, there's a little drop-down menu to choose from that can be sometimes found on the top right corner indicating there are alternative sources for the same program. I would recommend, whenever possible, to pick the "Zorin OS" option to as the source of the install. This is the native package format to Debian-based distributions and should work without any nuisances.

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I wouldn't install that version of Audacity as it comes with spyware.

It's an example to show the drop-down.

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