Well, I just built a new Core 2 Quad PC (4GB RAM, 512MB Video, etc..) and I couldn’t resist testing the latest version of ubuntu - 8.10 Intrepid. I love the system and I think that it acts something like what a MAC would act like.
Anyway, installing programs (or packages) is great - just click “add/remove” chose your program and Linux will auto-download it and everything you need to run it. Much easier than windows -and free!
But what if you want a program not on the Official Ubuntu server? What if (*gasp*) you want the latest version of something like Eclipse PDT 2.0? Well, this is where someone new to the system hits a brick wall - everything else is easy to understand but the installation of non-standard/supported .deb or whatever packages.
I have spent hours and hours reading everything I can on where you put files, how you install programs, etc and I still can’t get Eclipse or Aptana to run. I think it has something to do with the Java VM but I can’t figure it out. I don’t see anything in the configs for those programs on where you would add a line that points to your Java install. I must have at downloaded at least 6 versions of Java by now.
So has anyone done this before? I know it is possible because I keep finding people that say they have done it! I just wish they would say how!