Install Software In Ubuntu by Clicking a Link

Original Article Here
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" Apturl in Ubuntu
Written by Matt on April 5, 2008 – 8:33 pm -

Imagine the next time you are trying reading a great list of Ubuntu programs. One of them catches your eye, and you want to try it. Instead of either using Add/Remove or opening a terminal to install the program, you simply click a link. A message box pops up asking you if you want to install the program, and then you enter your password. Before you could have found the program in Add/Remove, the program is installed! With Apturl, this is now a reality.

You must first install Apturl. To do this, simply run this in terminal:

sudo apt-get install apturl

After Apturl is installed, you’ll need to restart your current web browser. Now if you would like to test Apturl, you’ll need an link won’t you? For details of the program, click “Gnome-Main-Menu”. To actually install the program, click “Install”.

Gnome-Main-Menu : Install

Hopefully that worked! Now before everyone starts complaining of how “insecure” this is, consider this. All that is really being done is apt-get is being told what program to install. So a “malicious” blogger can’t install “harmful” software because it isn’t in your repositories. Apturl only works with programs in your repositories. If apt-get can’t install it, neither can Apturl! You can’t run commands using Apturl, so no worries of automatic disk formatting!

What if you would like to use this on your blog? It is very simple to do. For example, for the above install link, I’ve simply created a hyperlink to:

apt:gnome-main-menu "

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I recommend that you install gnome-main-menu mentioned in the article as it will make your gnome panel menus much better



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Imagine how easy it is now to help your friends and family who are not so familiar with Linux to install programs.

All you have to do is setup Apturl for them once, then just send them an email with a hyperlink to the program they wish to install, such as "apt:compiz"

This procedure if adapted by tutorial / guide writers for Linux will make following guides even easier for beginners.

 

Great post!
Can this be made to work with other package managers?

 

Apturl per say no, but something similar could be developed.

Apturl is a protocol handler for just "apt:". However something generic for every package manager shouldn't be hard to create.

I mean in firefox alone you can set how certain protocols are handled/open so...

 

Software installation, like any system administation task, should be a deliberate and concious act - it shouldn't be a casual (or even accidental) click of a link on web page.

Next you'll have web pages listing software that can be de-installed...

 

It is concious,unless someone creates a hyperlink with a delibrately incorrect heading.

You cant install whatever the person who created the link wants you to install as the software the link points to has to be in the users repositories.

 

It comes pre installed in 7.10
or atleast i had it without installing anything other than updates?

EDIT: oh and btw i love the menu the guide provided big thanks for that =D

 

no probs, its much more organized and easy to use compared to the default

 

There are still dangerous programs in the regular repositories, a telnetd (daemon) would be one likely candidate, and I bet there are other programs that are best not installed on a newbie users desktop machine. One of the strengths of Ubuntu, is that no internet services and hence open ports are available on a default install.

You've illustrated my point, by a clicking on a web link, firstly the user does not know what they are installing, and two you've dumbed down the knowledge level so that the user doesn't know where or how to use the proper software management tools.

 

Great thread!

I believe I've used this to install the open office <--> .docx converter.

Also, doesn't Mint use this to install many of its programs?

Is this the same thing?

 

Very nice guide!

 

Doesn't gdebi already do that? Or am I confusing the way this thing works....

 

^^^ maybe that is what I am thinking of. I always use synaptic but I have Mint installed at work. I will check it out tomorrow.

 

Mint uses something similar, you search for something and it takes you to mints own database for downloading.

 

http://linuxmint.com/software/?sec=categories&release=2

^^^ Yeah it takes you here I believe, and you can add some common packages to your system. Very noob friendly, but at some point you're going to have to learn add/remove, synaptic and finally how to use the terminal.