Idea #7224: Add a repository (& optional package) with one click

This idea is a duplicate of idea #6960: Click to Add "sources.list" Entries.

Written by ski309 the 18 Apr 08 at 17:19. Category: Installation.
Related to: Nothing/Others. Status: New

Description

For the most part Ubuntu's package installations work great, especially when non-geek types want to install a certain program. It's easier and more intuitive than performing a Windows installation by far. However, these advantages cease when a specific package wanted by the user is not in the repository. At this point, the user needs to do several things:

1) Go to the program's website
2) Find the program's repository commands
3) Either run the commands via the terminal or add them to a dialog box that's several layers beneath the surface of the GUI (System -> Admin -> Software Source -> Third Party Software)

Step #1 is inescapable, but the other steps could be easily simplified to the point where non-geek types could add a repository to their system without breaking a sweat.

I propose the following:
A file that, when opened in Ubuntu, automates the addition of repositories. I imagine this as a simple text file with the repository commands inside. The file would have a .rep extension.

Optionally, the .rep file could also include the names of packages from the new repository to install.

As an example, here's what the .rep file would like for Inkscape:

--------------------
:gutsy_repositories
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/inkscape.testers/ubuntu gutsy main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/inkscape.testers/ubuntu gutsy main

:gutsy_packages
inkscape-0.46-0
--------------------

The steps to install would turn into this:

1) Go to the program's website.
2) Click the link to the program's repository file.
3) Read the security warning that advises only to add the repository if you're sure you want the programs within it.
4) Choose whether to install the packages given in the .rep file (default yes).
5) After entering your admin password, Ubuntu adds the repositories listed in the file, and installs the packages if directed to.

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Comments

zooounds wrote on the 18 Apr 08 at 17:49

There are already a system for this but I can't remember the name. Someone else?

peterjs wrote on the 18 Apr 08 at 20:37

Third party apt:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ThirdPartyApt

papukaija wrote on the 19 Apr 08 at 09:12

The utility is called apturl (installed by default in Gutsy):

"Apturl lets you install packages using a apt:pkgname like syntax" -quote from the packge's description.

neotenshi wrote on the 19 Apr 08 at 13:15

papukaija> Yes, it allows you to install a *package* using apt:package, but it doesn't allow you to add *repositories*
But I thought I read somewhere (ubuntu weekly newsletter or something like that) that this functionality will be inplemented ... I'm not sure of it (maybe I mixed up with another Brainstorm idea) but that's what I remember ...

sf_007 wrote on the 19 Apr 08 at 16:24

Good idea. +1

bescritt wrote on the 19 Apr 08 at 20:13

It might be a possible security risk, though.
Someone could make a link to add a malicious repo.
We would need an extra layer of security - an
whitelist hosted on Canonical's servers, for instance.

ski309 wrote on the 25 Apr 08 at 14:44

"It might be a possible security risk, though.
Someone could make a link to add a malicious repo.
We would need an extra layer of security - an
whitelist hosted on Canonical's servers, for instance."

This is true. I tried to compensate for that with a security warning, but a whitelist might be a good idea as well.

Craig73 wrote on the 30 Jul 08 at 01:51

Google's website they have instructions for GUI and CLI for 4 different distributions, and a shell script that works for all

I like this (your) approach better.

A few ideas
1) Could we implement this as XML (perhaps I'm sold on adding features without breaking the file)

2) Include the repository PGP Key in the same file

3) Include both RPM and DEB repositories (more reason for vendors to implement this one click file)

4) Perhaps a method to uniquely identify an application. That way if the app is in the distribution repository (or is added to the dist rep in the future) we can direct users there first for stability.

(I wonder if there is a way to identify software being installed through third party repositories automatically for the Ubuntu packaging team to prioritize new additions to the repository)

[I'll check out ThirdPartyApt... although I'd hope for a Distro-agnostic solution, at least for the config file]

droetker (Moderator) wrote on the 3 Aug 08 at 20:28

@zooounds: you eventually mean "klik"?

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