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Win-get is like apt-get for Windows, but less useful
If you're not familiar with package management, here's how it works. You type "apt-get install <name of program>" into a terminal and your operating system will find that program online, download it, and install it. Newer versions of Linux have graphical interfaces that basically let you browse through a huge list of mostly free and open source software that you can download. No need to search the web for a good image editor. Just open your package manager and download GIMP.
Win-get aims to work pretty much like apt-get, but for free Windows software. We're not talking open source here, necessarily. Many of the programs in the win-get repository are free to download and install, but the source code may not be available. There's a huge list of software available for download.
All you have to do is:
- Download wget.exe and Win-get.exe from the project homepage.
- Go to your start menu and type "cmd" to get a command prompt.
- Type "win-get install <name of program>" and win-get will go online, find your program and attempt to install it.
Win-get is a work in progress, so hopefully a future release will run more smoothly. But we'd love to see a graphical, searchable interface at some point. Right now, win-get is only useful if you already know the software you want to install. And if you're already familiar with applications like AbiWord, 7-zip, and GIMPshop, you probably already know how to download and install them.
[via Digg]
Comments
6
Subscribe to commentsStevenJul 31st 2007 2:47PM
That's how package management is done in Debian-based Linux distributions.
fincanJul 31st 2007 2:50PM
apt-get is not a Linux packet management tool, it's the package manager for Debian Linux, and of course other distributions which are based on Debian (i.e. Ubuntu).
Brad LinderJul 31st 2007 2:51PM
Thanks guys, I updated the post to make it more clear that we're talking about the package management system used by Debian-based distributions.
JamesJul 31st 2007 5:40PM
I guarantee that Vista is the problem -- probably, the programs want to write to "protected" directories (like Program Files), but are not granted any special Installer privs.
Anyway, I don't see the point. On my Linux box, apt-get is great because I almost never use the UI, let alone the web browser, so I like having a command-line application finder. On my Windows box, I almost never close my web browser, so if I want an app, I'll open a new window, Google the thing, and within three clicks it's usually downloaded to my desktop.
khaleelAug 3rd 2007 1:45AM
well winget may have some potential for propriatory software it downloads a 'trial version' and then you pay for it if u like , or open an account at winget's site , it pays on your behalf
manoakysAug 2nd 2007 3:09PM
And what's about updating? win-get update ? Is there such function allready? In the debian-based distributions, updating is main thing which I like form apt-get ;)