Getdeb

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GetDeb
GetDeb homepage on 2007-08-29.
URL	www.getdeb.net
Type of site	Ubuntu Software Portal
Owner	João Pinto
Created by	João Pinto

Getdeb is an Ubuntu software portal with ready-to-install applications in Ubuntu's default .deb package format. Getdeb.net was created to make it easy for Ubuntu users to install the latest versions of Free/Open Source applications quickly and easily.

1 Reason for Existence
2 Pros and Cons
3 Related
4 External links

[edit] Reason for Existence

Packages in the .deb format are much easier to install as opposed to compiling from source code because the package can be later removed or updated as newer versions of the software are released. It is possible to download the source code and compile a program manually on one's system but to remove the software is often tedious and convoluted for new users. Manually compiling can also be tricky because it may leave dependencies unresolved. Using the GetDeb website, one can download the appropriate package easily and install it in a point-and-click manner.

[edit] Pros and Cons

Using packages from GetDeb can be useful if it is necessary to have the very latest versions of certain software applications. A site like GetDeb is useful because some software packages have not made their way into the mainstream repositories, which is the preferable way to access and install applications for stability purposes.

Running "bleeding edge" applications can also have drawbacks. Generally, Ubuntu users should try to run the applications from the Ubuntu approved and maintained repositories, as these versions have been tested for system stability. Newer versions of applications that have not been tested on many systems may have significant bugs. Some of these applications are or should be considered "beta" or even "alpha" software. Additionally, applications at the site may not follow Debian or Ubuntu's packaging guidelines and may not have been extensively reviewed for legal or other issues.