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Just as the title says. I'm pretty new to Ubuntu, but I've used it before about a year ago. I had help then, but now this seems pretty confusing. I've already read the Installing Software article, I'm currently trying to install Steam and when I do:

cd ~/downloads/
sudo dpkg steam_latest.deb

I get a error saying that I need python-apt and I tried doing

sudo apt-get python-apt

but it says invalid operation can you guys list the ways to install an application, and describe it like I'm five? Thanks.

Edit: I'm not talking about using wine in this case, just using the actual package from Valve themselves.

Andreas Hacker
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Knight
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    Programs like `dpkg`, `apt-get`, etc generally rely on arguments to specify the requested action. You can always use `man ` (e.g. `man dpkg`) to get more information about how they can be used properly. – code_dredd Jun 02 '16 at 09:13
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    Install steam directly from Ubuntu repo. There are some problems with the official, for example it opens every start a window with "please update steam" even when you the latest version – Motte001 Jun 02 '16 at 10:35

2 Answers2

24

You nearly had it correct, to install steam you need to add the -i flag to dpkg like this:

sudo dpkg -i steam_latest.deb

And if that still fails you can install python-apt this way, which you as well had almost right:

sudo apt-get install python-apt
Videonauth
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    `sudo apt install` on current versions on Ubuntu. – Boris the Spider Jun 02 '16 at 07:54
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    @BoristheSpider you still can use both and will be able to use both untill EOL of 16.04 LTS which will be in 04/2021. – Videonauth Jun 02 '16 at 07:56
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    apt alone has a nifty progress bar though – myol Jun 02 '16 at 07:58
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    @myol apt-get --show-progress – Motte001 Jun 02 '16 at 10:37
  • @Motte001 Really? `sudo apt-get --show-progress install 2048-qt` outputs something like `Avanzamento: [ 0%] Avanzamento: [ 16%] Estrazione di 2048-qt (0.1.6-1)... Avanzamento: [ 33%] Avanzamento: [ 50%] `. No progress bar, just more and more lines telling you the progress (sorry for the Italian btw). Using `sudo apt install 2048qt` produces an actual coloured progress bar using ncurses (I guess). – Bakuriu Jun 02 '16 at 17:44
  • @Motte001 I think effort needed to type sudo apt-get --show-progress install is not worth the output. A rather easier approach is sudo apt install. – rancho Jun 06 '16 at 10:43
13

As you are trying to install Steam, here is a different approach: Install Steam directly from Ubuntu's multiverse repository

sudo add-apt-repository multiverse
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install steam

Reference: https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-install-steam-on-ubuntu-16-04-xenial-xerus

Community
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Andreas Hacker
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    This is by far the easiest option, as it will also automatically install dependencies (including python-apt) and updates, whereas the answer by Videonauth won't do so. – Paddy Landau Jun 07 '16 at 10:51
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    @PaddyLandau If you have a look at the [edit history of the question](http://askubuntu.com/posts/780663/revisions) itself you will see why my answer isn't satisfactory anymore. Its mostly because people edited the questions to something totally new. – Videonauth Jun 12 '16 at 23:45