Hey everyone! I'm a Windows 7 user looking to switch to Linux, probably Mint. I find Windows executables really convenient because I can back them up safely to an external HDD. But I'm curious about how program installations work on Linux. Does it have something like an App Store as seen on iOS? Can I install programs from the internet and store them on my external drive? I tried looking for the GIMP installer but only found a flatpakref file. Is a flatpak like an exe for Linux? How would I go about installing a flatpak, and can I back it up on my HDD for future installations? Does Linux make it hard to keep backups of my programs? Thanks for your help!
5 Answers
You can download installers from the internet, but it's not common practice in Linux. Most programs get installed via package managers, which are specific to your distro. This reduces the risk of problems with dependencies. If you’re looking for GIMP, try using the software manager in Linux Mint—it’s likely already available there!
AppImages are the closest thing to Windows .exe files. They bundle everything together for easy portability. If you want to back up programs, look into AppImages. However, using your distro's software center for installs is usually the better way to go as they handle everything for you.
Most Linux distributions have a package manager integrated into them. You can search for and install programs quite easily using it! Just head to your software center, look for GIMP, and hit install—no flatpakref required!
Switching to Linux can seem daunting, but Mint is user-friendly. The software manager is perfect for installing applications hassle-free. For backup needs, focus on your important data like documents and media rather than the apps themselves. If you ever have to reinstall, just reinstall from the software manager to get the latest versions easily!
If you want to ensure your system is safe, consider using Timeshift for backups. It lets you back up your whole system environment instead of just individual programs, making recovery a breeze if you ever need to reinstall!
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