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Archives For November 30, 1999

Install .deb File: Use Gdebi Instead of Ubuntu Software Center

Last updated: May 11, 2015

deb-icon

Looking for a lightweight alternative to Ubuntu Software Center to handle .deb files? Well, Gdebi package installer is the best choice!

deb is the extension of the Debian software package format, which is used in Debian and Ubuntu based distributions. Ubuntu opens the .deb file via the Software Center by default and provides an install button to install the software package. But the Software Center is too heavy for old machines with low RAM (<=2GB) and may be "too much" for you to only install a .deb package. Gdebi is a simple tool designed to install local deb packages which also resolves and installs the dependencies. It was the default package installer in Ubuntu (Ubuntu 10.04 or earlier, sorry I forgot it).

gdebi-package-installer

1. To install Gdebi, just search for and install the package from Ubuntu Software Center:

gdebi-in-software-center

2. Once installed, right-click on an .deb file and navigate to its “Properties window -> Open With tab”.

There highlight Gdebi Package Installer and click Set as default.

set-gdebi-default

Finally, all your .deb files will be opened with Gdebi by default.

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Install App Grid – Lightweight Alternative to Ubuntu Software Center

Last updated: July 31, 2014

Lightweight Software Center Alternative

App Grid is an Ubuntu Software Center alternative that aims to be lightweight, fast, clean and simple.

Every day we use USC (Ubuntu Software Center) to install, remove, buy, and manage applications, but it works really slow and freezes frequently in my old laptop.

App Grid provides a clean and simple interface and delivers stunning startup speed, and swift reactions throughout. It has almost all features that USC provides: install, launch, remove button, screenshots, a short description along with user comments, Ubuntu One login and more.

App Grid Main Window

App Grid app description

Install App Grid in Ubuntu:

This project provides an official PPA for Ubuntu 14.10, Ubuntu 14.04, and Ubuntu 12.04.

To install it, press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open the terminal. When it opens, run the commands below one by one:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:appgrid/stable

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install appgrid

If you don’t want to add the PPA, grab the .deb package directly from Launchpad Page.

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