How to easily install software in Ubuntu Linux

So, you're new to Linux. Ubuntu is an excellent choice. But how to start...

The first thing you will likely want to try is installing software you want to use. Unlike most Linux distributions, Ubuntu makes installing software very easy. You don't need to know how to program. You won't have to touch the Terminal.

Step 1:

In the menu at the top of your screen, click on Applications > Add/Remove...

Step 2:

You will be presented with a list of available programs to install. On the left side of your screen, you will see categories of programs ranging from games to business utilities to programming tools. If you know what you want, you can search for it with the search box at the top. At the bottom of the screen, you will see a description of the selected program.

Otherwise, you can browse through the categories to see what is available.

Step 3:

To install a program, click the checkbox next to it and then click "Apply Changes" at the bottom right corner of the window.

Step 4:

Ubuntu will now ask you if you're sure you want to install the software. To continue, click "Apply." I think you can figure out which button to click if you want to...erm..."Cancel."

Step 5:

If you continue, the selected program will be downloaded and installed. This can take anywhere from a few seconds to an hour - depending on the size of the software you have chosen and your internet connection speed. Some of the larger games*, for instance, can take a while to download.

*Alien Arena, Open Arena, Nexuiz, etc

Step 6:

When this installation is finished, you should see something like this image.

- MSwengel