If you switch from Windows or Linux to Mac, one of the things you will notice is Mac OS X doesn’t have a utility to help uninstall applications. To try and make things simple, Apple didn’t include an uninstaller, instead all you have to do is delete the application files. The only problem with this is as applications began to get more complex, not all the files were located in the same place. Sure you can try and manually search for the files but there’s no way you’ll find all of them.

If you don’t like deleting only some of the application files, you should give AppCleaner a try. AppCleaner is a FREE program designed to find and delete all the files associated with an application. Below is a screenshot of the program in action.

Of course there are lots of other programs that will help you uninstall your applications. However, there are a few reasons I use AppCleaner instead of those other programs. First off, AppCleaner is completely FREE. There isn’t a free version and a paid version, or some crappy trial version, just the real thing. Secondly, the interface is clean and simple. All you have to do is drag and drop the application you want to remove and your done.

AppCleaner is even smart enough to recognize when you place an application in the Trash Bin and it will then offer to properly delete it. AppCleaner will uninstall more than just applications, including widgets and preference panes. Lastly, AppCleaner can protect your most important applications from being deleted. And of course a list of all deleted applications are kept in a log file so you can look back at what you’ve successfully uninstalled.

This post is the next in the series on the newest version of Ubuntu (Hardy Heron). Be sure to check out the most recent Linux Friday posts for other tips on the newest Ubuntu.

There are a few ways to install software in Ubuntu. The first being Add/Remove Applications. To open this window click Applications -> Add/Remove…

Here you can click and install software by category or by searching. As you can see you can sort the search results by the name of the application or popularity.

The second way to install software is using the Synaptic Package Manager. To open this window, click System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager. This has the same programs that are available in the Add/Remove Applications. The only difference is the package manager doesn’t have quite the same GUI that Add/Remove Applications does.

Be sure to enable all the standard repositories so you have more programs to choose from. To do this click Settings -> Repositories. Then under the “Ubuntu Software” tab, check all of the repos except for “Source code.” While you are here, go ahead and change the download server. Choose the server that is the closest to you or have it choose the fastest for you. This could significantly decrease your download time.

The next way to install software is via the Terminal. To access the terminal click Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal. Once the Terminal is open the command to install programs is ’sudo apt-get install’. So, type this command and then the name of the program or file you wish to install.

Of course this program must be in the repositories or you will get an error message and it will not install. To uninstall software via the terminal type ’sudo apt-get remove’ followed by the name of the package.

The last method to install software is by downloading a ‘.deb’ file. These are being more and more popular as Ubuntu continues to grow. To install the package simply double click on the file once you download it from the Internet. Then click the ‘Install’ button. You will probably be prompted for the admin password. When the installer finishes your program should be installed.

For more information check out these links:
How to install ANYTHING in Ubuntu! – EXCELLENT GUIDE!
Installing software in Ubuntu
Install and Uninstall software in Ubuntu
Updates and Upgrades and Installing Software