Front end package managers

[Donn]

> I was saying( and I still don't have Kubuntu in front of me so I am trying
> to recall this)
>
> 1. Use adept to install synaptic
> 2. Open synaptic
> 3. At the toolbar at the top, check the box that says include proprietary
> 4. search for Acroread  (Acrobat Reader)  It will appear.
> 5. Follow install procedure in synaptic.
> 6.  If acroread does not become the default pdf opener, uninstall the ones
> that you plan on using
>
Cool, see where you are coming from. It makes sense in a "bash it with a big 
stick" kind of way :D 

The actual picture (simplified) is, from low-level to gui:
Ubuntu -> dpkg -> apt-get  -> Synaptic
Kubuntu -> dpkg -> apt-get -> Adept

The /etc/apt/sources.list file is what apt-get uses to find software. The 
*type* of software depends on what's in that file.
There are servers that house *repositories* of software that you can list in 
the sources.list file. Which kind of explains the name ;)

Acroread is not free (of chains) software and is probably not in a normal 
repo. You would need to determine which repo it's going to be in and then add 
that repo to the list, then do an update, before Synaptic OR Adept would be 
able to fetch it.

Now, it seems newer versions of Synaptic have some quick way to include 
proprietary repos via that check box, which I didn't know.

So, I hope that clears things up a little. The actual organization of the 
repos is a little tricky and I can never remember what one houses what 
software. I kind of set it up once a year ago (for Dapper) and I have ignored 
it all since then -- refer the Ubuntu wiki/forums.

/d