The software manager is great! but synaptic can find and get you stuff from the repository that the software manager doesn’t see. Synaptic is just a search engine. I go digging around on the net for something good I want and then just go enter it into the search on synaptic.
Synaptic goes and finds the latest version available and the supporting bonus ware from the TRUSTED repositories (which isn’t always the very very newest, but very close). Key point here, TRUSTED sources.
Then it checks your system and attaches what extra files you are going to need for that program. Then after it is downloaded I have it go update to the very newest version using the update manager that has usually already went to look for that newer version on it’s own. Done... up to date and pretty painless from your desktop. It really is a cool system.
But don’t shy away from the command line... Learn to use it too. Because what it can do is incredible compared to both the software manager and Synaptic. In fact a lot of downloads you just copy a code from the vendor, paste it into the command line, and hit enter. Then it does it’s thing slicker than snot. lol
when i use the synaptic, it lists a whole bunch of things i n the results, and I’m never sure which ones i need and don’t-
I do use command line sometimes- not too hard- I’ve updated programs via command line, installed some- viewed installed programs, and found problems using it- but for the most p art- I don’t do a lot with linux- and just want linux for simple stuff like browsing net-