Software

[frustrated]

Hi,
As a long standing user of windoze, which I have long wanted to ditch in favour of Linux, unfortunately,  I have ALWAYS encountered the same problem with ALL distros I've tried over 10 years or more: using software not included in the 'package', which although correctly installed is not available & doesn't appear when searching for it; as an example I installed 'zoneminder' today using the package manager, it's listed as installed yet does not appear under any of the categories in the menu, nor when I search for it, so how can I possibly use it! Needless to say this would NOT be a problem with windoze, as unlike every distro tried to date, I would have the choice to CHOOSE where a program is installed & where the shortcut for it appears to launch it; it beggars belief that after all these years, NOBODY creating a Linux distro (or a software for Linux) seems to have grasped the very simple concept that people install software to use them, not to have them sitting somewhere in the OS unusable for lack of knowing how to launch them... 

[rokytnji]

Ok.

Might help. Might not.

https://www.linuxliteos.com/manual/software.html

[Valtam]

Distro creators are not responsible for Menu entries for applications installed after a distribution has been installed onto your pc. Zoneminder is I believe a camera server and as such does not require a Menu entry because it is classed as a service. You could always petition the author of it to include one. We have nothing to do with that application.

Sent from my Mobile phone using Tapatalk

[JmaCWQ]

From memory I think Zoneminder is accessed through a browser once the service is running, perhaps websearching for 'Start Zoneminder' or 'Access Zoneminder' might yield some results that can help you.

[frustrated]

Thank-you for your replies & suggestions but you all seem to have missed the point I am trying to make, which is why should one have to go though all kinds of hoops with Linux distros to achieve something so easy with windoze, especially when in many cases, it is the same software! I fail to understand why I can install ANY program with windoze & use it within minutes of doing so, whereas I regularly have to spend hours if not longer to find out why I cannot do so when installed in a Linux distro, all because the people who design the same software for both platforms offer options with windoze they do not offer with the Linux version of their program.

This recurring & extremely irritating problem has lead me to try different distros in the hope of finding one that met my requirements WITHOUT having to install 'external' software, so far unfortunately unsuccessfully. My gripe with Lite & all other distros to date is that it is obviously possible for the creators to install software they have chosen to include in their distro & to make them available to users via the shortcuts in different categories in the menu, a very nice feature of all distros incidentally, so why should it be so complicated for users to achieve the same thing EASILY. Unless one is EXTREMELY lucky & programmers have designed their software so an icon appears AUTOMATICALLY in the right category, a Linux novice is left unable to use programs he or she had no problem using with windoze, all for the sake of a shortcut to launch the application!

If car manufacturers obliged their customers to search for the key to start the engine for the first time, & all did so in different places, or worse still, required their customers to know how to build an engine, put the wheels on etc in order to use a car, there would be an absolute uproar & I am guessing they would quickly change or not sell many cars! For a very long time, Linux had the reputation of being by geeks for geeks, my experience to date strongly suggests little has changed; the many problems I have encountered with Lite (other than the one being discussed) leaves me thoroughly discouraged I will ever find a Linux distro really user friendly, one I will not be wasting hours, days or even weeks trying to find out how to do things I have absolutely NO problem doing with windoze... 

[rokytnji]

but you all seem to have missed the point I am trying to make

Me personally. No. I've heard this point being made for years. I just ignore it anymore.

Happy Trails, Rok.

Edit: Just to explain a little better. I know about Windows. I am a moderator and trouble shooter on a Mac and Windows Forum. So your frustration falls on deaf ears.  Here is just a example of forum content on our forum.

      Hello this is another friend Win 7 machine. It's not taking windows updates. It gives a Windows error code 80072ee2 but there is not much help on that page. I'm not sure if its malware or something

System was slow so I started with Malwarebytes. Found over 2k items. The system seems very unstable

You see. I learned long ago on how  to tell the difference between " We got a problem" and " I have a problem "

[trinidad]

Here>>>>> http://zoneminder.readthedocs.io/en/late...index.html
or here is even better>>>>>https://forums.zoneminder.com/?

TC

[bitsnpcs]

Hello frustrated,

Menu>All>Main Menu

will allow you to add your own shortcuts to the Menu where you want them added.

[smhardesty]

Sorry, but your complaint will fall on deaf ears on this forum, for a couple of reasons. First, you are giving a pretty clear appearance of defending Windows over any Linux distribution without having given the distro a fair shake. That's going to turn off a LOT of the forum members that might be able to resolve your problem quickly. Secondly, you keep stating how easy Windows is to use compared to Linux. Your very first remark on this forum was, "As a long standing user of windoze". If you were as long a user of Linux you wouldn't need to bother to ask how to do something as simple as locate a run command and create a menu entry.

I spent over 30 years in the computing industry, starting with IBM mainframes in 1976. As PCs became popular and common I began learning and using them, eventually moving on to full blown repair and networking technology. When I first tried to install Linux many moons ago, there was no graphical installer. I dropped Windows somewhere around 15 years ago, and converted my wife around 10 - 12 years ago. I would be as lost trying to troubleshoot a Windows computer today as I was trying to do the same to a Linux PC 15 years ago. But I've learned many things and no longer struggle with Linux. When I DO have a problem, I know how to ask the community for assistance. I do it with respect and humility.

If you truly wish to become a Linux user and leave the buggy, proprietary, security flawed world of Windows, might I suggest you approach the matter in a different light? You are attempting to learn something new. As for your comment about car manufacturers requiring owners to search for the key to start the engine, it's over the visor. Pretty easy to find.

[trinidad]

Steve,

Newest cars just have a button to push to start these days, but then so does my 31 Ford truck. Retrogression marketing.

TC