Noob Linux Mint help...

[Big Rig]

I've just put Linux Mint onto an old laptop as the sole OS. I'm trying to install a few bits of software (tough learning curve eh?).

I believe I need a package manager. Pacman seems to be highly regarded. Can anyone show me a simple guide to installing it please? Or does anyone have a different recommendation?

[Mr E]

Mint has a default package manager. Is that not sufficient?

Otherwise, mint is Debian in a pretty dress, so many options. Synaptic is the default I think, but they’ll all look at the same sources.

[Bodo]

Big Rig said:

I've just put Linux Mint onto an old laptop as the sole OS. I'm trying to install a few bits of software (tough learning curve eh?).

I believe I need a package manager. Pacman seems to be highly regarded. Can anyone show me a simple guide to installing it please? Or does anyone have a different recommendation?

All popular desktop distributions have some sort of software manager in their graphical menu. Some sort of app store (the package manager), with a huge choice of mostly open source software to be installed by click. The same package manager ensures you get all depending libraries or associated software installed at the same time.

It should look similar to this, and it's part of your default installation:



Is there some particular SW you're looking for?

[Gman20]

Linux package are typically distribution specific, pacman is used on arch Linux. Mint is based on Ubuntu which is based on Debian and they use Debian packages managed by apt.
There are some more recent package types designed to be universal and work on any distribution, like snaps.
Linux mint has deliberately removed the snap store which is built into Ubuntu, so if you want a different package manager to apt you've started in the wrong place. You can install the snap store on mint but you are probably better of switching to Ubuntu.
You probably can find a way to install pacman bit you definitely definitely shouldn't. If you need pacman switch to something based on arch Linux that comes with it built in.

[Big Rig]

Specifically I’m trying to put Rufus onto it so I can put and ISO image onto a USB stick.

[hyphen]

Bodo said:

All popular desktop distributions have some sort of software manager in their graphical menu. Some sort of app store (the package manager), with a huge choice of mostly open source software to be installed by click. The same package manager ensures you get all depending libraries or associated software installed at the same time.

It should look similar to this, and it's part of your default installation:



Is there some particular SW you're looking for?

Real men don't acknowledge a Linux software manager, there is no such thing. We persevere with Terminal.

[Bodo]

hyphen said:

Real men don't acknowledge a Linux software manager, there is no such thing. We persevere with Terminal.

Real men give practical advice when the thread title starts with Noob.

[Bodo]

Big Rig said:

Specifically I’m trying to put Rufus onto it so I can put and ISO image onto a USB stick.

I'm with hyphen, do it via the terminal; no need to install anything.

The best and easiest method and also most reliable method is:

$ sudo dd if=<iso-filename> of=/dev/sd<drive-letter-for-the-usb-stick> <optional bs= argument, but not needed>

[Bodo]

Or use the graphical tool included in Linux Mint:
Right-click the ISO file and select Make Bootable USB Stick, or launch Menu ‣ Accessories ‣ USB Image Writer.

[Mr E]

hyphen said:

Real men don't acknowledge a Linux software manager, there is no such thing. We persevere with Terminal.

Real nerds don’t run a gui and just ssh in.

[TonyRPH]

Big Rig said:

Specifically I’m trying to put Rufus onto it so I can put and ISO image onto a USB stick.

Rufus is a Windows application - you cant install that on Linux - not without using something like Wine at least - but Wine is not really for the Linux novice.