Linux Mint Forums

If the file comes in .deb format it will install just like in Windows, otherwise it's a little more complicated than that.

Once your head hits the pillow tonight, say this over and over until you fall asleep: Linux is not Windows

From one noob to another, if your present computer has enough horsepower, install Mint in Sun Virtual Box.

You can get to know Mint and any other Linux desktops without doing anything permanent to your present system. It makes learning the finer points of Linux in general and Mint in particular much easier.

I'm dual booting Mint 7 x64 and Windows 7 RC x64. I ran several Linux distros in Virtual Box before settling on Mint.
As far as I'm concerned, Mint is the most user friendly to those of us migrating over from Windows.

If you are looking for a particular program, or you want your computer to do something in particular, Look in the Package Manager and/or the Software Manager.
In most cases there is a program that will work for you. The search function here works well. Easier and faster than posting and waiting.

As others have stated, Linux is not Windows. Windows is not Linux. Linux is just a different way of running your computer.

If you wanted to there is a web based client service for various Linux distros
--though I don't use it myself..
http://www.cnr.com/
it came about from Linpsire/Freespire, recently bought out by Xandros..
--similar in concept to mintupdate/mintinstall but with a direct web service interface, and it does require their cnr client installed to make it work

In mint I find synaptic mint menu>Package Manager, to be the best application installer they provide