Linux Program installing questions...

I have heard a lot of how easy it is to get everything on Linux, but can someone sort this out for me?

1) Does the Packet Manager install everything for you?
2) Correct me if I am wrong, but manual install involves files such as tar and deb (?)...once you have one how would you install it?

I haven't had much experience with Linux so I may have some of the terms, concepts wrong, but I am willing to learn. Please feel free to tell me what I have wrong. Failure is one of the best teachers....unless it's explosives, then your just screwed.

 

what distro of linux are you wanting to know about? i know it is a conversation starter but i always prefer Ubuntu and they have a great support forum that would help with answers you can't find here. they have a built in installer program included but like any other linux distro you will have to read and acquire some knowledge to get it to do everything you might want.

1) depends on the distro
2) there are several different ways from command lines to automated programs. personally i preferred to do it with command lines so i can learn what it is im doing for those moments when i need to tweak something beyond an available self installer program. ubuntu has a program called automater (something like that i haven't used it in a bit) however even though this will help you install a lot of the stuff you might want to get working it can also do things that you dont want as well but it would be the easy route.
hereis a section dedicated to ubuntu which again i highly recommend especially for beginners to linux.


good luck

 

If you need to know a specific distro:
Linpus on the AAO (doing research before getting one)
Ubuntu for future use on another laptop/desktop
Fedora 9
I don't really know much about what makes the distros different/better but feel free to comment on either. All I know is Ubuntu comes with a few more things, but if I know how to install them myself on the others I won't have a problem.

And just in case it is program specific, I did a little research and found what programs/games/stuff I would want:
Firefox 3
Tomboy Notes (already on Ubuntu)
VLC Media Player
Inkscape (its a imaging program...but better than gimp?)
gimpshop (i know some of photoshop, so it would be handy)
Wine
I have a few others but that should cover it. Feel free to post a link or an explanation. If I got something wrong, feel free to add your "regards" (yelling, cursing, complaints, "this is better than X", etc.)

Thanks. Everyone is really helpful.