Why use MintInstall instead of Synaptic ?

[glenn69]

Just a basic Mint question :

Why would I want to use MintInstall over Synaptic as both are installed by default?
Can MintInstall do something that Synaptic cannot?

Thanks

[Guest]

Should I take the lack of response to mean that there is no good reason to use Mint Install over Synaptic?

[Guest]

1.if your new to linux you probably dont know to use synaptic right off or know how to use it, mintinstall is a similar setup to how windows users would get programs from the web i suppose... might make them feel more at home and ease the learning curve, which is always a good thing.

??? You see people like morons? Maybe only Windows people?
Synaptic is easy to use, except perhaps if we had -10 of Intellectual Quotient... just open Synaptic, find your program, click install and... done!
You even get a detailed description, you can search etc.

There is no need to be a genius, even someone from Windows should be able to do that.

2. also if you are new to linux you dont know what good programs are for the type of thing you want to do, so for instance if you wanted a good burning program, you can look under the category's for sound and video and then find one which is popular (k3b). Something which is not so clearcut with synaptic.

hmm, if you say... but maybe 5 minutes of reading on the web (forum, website...) give the same result...
Why "assist" people? Trying to educate them instead (we move to Linux when we were "educated", right? )

In your post, Kynan, you seem to treat people as "idiots" unable to cope in the 'difficult' Synaptic (or perhaps in Linux in general).
Personally, I prefer to see people as intelligent beings, able to reflect, to think, to reason and just give them the assistance necessary, but not too much because it is seeking yourself that you learn the most. But maybe it's my side "teacher"...

For 3., a "more up to date versions of software" is not always a necessity. Some new versions sometimes simply providing new features that will be of no use for your use and sometimes even new bugs...

There is one thing that I don't like in the portal, perhaps clem can change this: the version is not specified!!!

P.S.= no flame here and if I misunderstand you I'm sorry

[Guest]

you seemed to have misinterpreted me

Probably and again I am sorry. But again I do not agree that Synaptic is "difficult"... even for newbies.

synaptic seems strange to them and it is just a very different process than that of windows

Different, yes, but it's a different OS also, no? Unless maybe we want Linux to become a "copy" of Windows...

again if you were a new user and needed programs what would you prefer? a website made by the distro with a whole selection of popular and good programs to choose from or to go and search for programs individually yourself

I would reply: search for programs individually myself! Even in Windows, even in my early years with a computer, I never liked to be "assisted" and I always try to do as much as possible thing by myself...

"i very much agree that there should be a version number in the portal infact i have requested this a dozen times already i never get a response." ===> OK so I'm not alone!

[Guest]

1. hmm, enterprise distribs like Red Hat and its clones (CentOS, Scientific...) keep old versions of softwares and that do not prevent them from being quite functional...

2. For you, maybe

In fact there is no answer to the question that is posed in this topic: "Why use MintInstall instead of Synaptic ?" because everyone uses the one he/she wants, he/she prefers. So each in its own response.

[belovedmonster]

I think Mint Install IS a good feature. My only reservation is whether it will survive because surely the Linux community would want one central place where there are more reviews, more software, more everything rather than each Distro having its own software site. At the moment Click N Run seems to be the front runner in creating something like that. I think a big central place where you can find out new apps, get reviews, and the like sounds really amazing.

[cgraham]

Mint Install will keep you from trashing your system. The programs have been made to work with Linux Mint in particular. Where as Synaptic may update/upgrade components that will trash your system. I use both, but I have at times trashed my system. Hope this answers your question.

[Guest]

OK, so it seems to be mainly a convenience for new users. I get that...somewhat, as I do not see synaptic as being difficult to use.

Primarily, I am interested in whether there is a "functional" reason for MintInstall over synaptic. Does MintInstall do something "different behind the scenes" during an install than synaptic would if I were to install the same package from both?