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It seems that apt: doesn't work here,but there is a proxy for these type of sites

just provide apt.ubuntu.com/p/package_name

Should we use it(easy,fast and user friendly) or the traditional software center,apt-get or synaptic?

Example:

http://apt.ubuntu.com/p/vlc

Note: doesn't work in Chrome on Ubuntu.

DoctorMO has made another proxy

http://doctormo.org/2010/07/02/apturl-proxy/

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4 Answers 4

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The AptUrl demi-standard is a fantastic idea, and it promotes one of Ubuntu's (and Debian's) best features: awesome package installation and removal. They're also more usable than sudo apt-get install ... strings.

I say we promote the standard as much as possible. If we have to request an apt.ubuntu.com, so be it.

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  • +1: For new users the default browser will pick up on the apt-url fine. For anybody else who uses a different browser, chances are they know apt well enough to succeed.
    – invert
    Commented Aug 6, 2010 at 10:32
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I think once the apt.ubuntu.com bug is sorted that we should do it this way to cover our bases:

For desktop related questions:

This links the user to the upstream project, where they can learn more about how to use it, etc, and also gives them an install link.

For server-related things we should do:

  • openldap is great, install it via sudo apt-get install openldap-server

Complete answers will of course have both, but the apt.ubuntu.com way is clearly so much easier to use for desktop applications and we should encourage people to use it.

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    I've started using a format I copied from someone else that shows the package name (with link to launchpad) and the software centre icon (with apt link): [compizconfig-settings-manager](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/compizconfig-settings-manager) [![Install compizconfig-settings-manager](http://bit.ly/software-small)](http://apt.ubuntu.com/p/compizconfig-settings-manager)
    – idbrii
    Commented May 5, 2011 at 18:24
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Apturl doesn't work on all browsers and desktop environments, so i think it is a safe bet to add the url and manual instructions. Or one could persuade someone maintaining apt.ubuntu.com to add generic instructions if it detects a browser that isn't supported.

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    Only on those environments that don't follow FreeDesktop.org spec.As for browsers it just requests an external protocol request which should work on all browsers.
    – akshatj
    Commented Aug 5, 2010 at 16:34
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    the example site, apt.ubuntu.com shows me that i'm not running ubuntu (using chromium), sure apt://packagename should work but apt.ubuntu.com site at least doesn't.
    – Ressu
    Commented Aug 6, 2010 at 7:17
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I've added the feature request tag - I imagine this is a fairly easy change to make for this site. I believe it will be easier if someone starts by making a greasemonkey script that will support it, but quite a few sites have customisations for this or that.

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