What alternatives are there to Software Boutique? With 16.04 I used the Ubuntu Software Center to supplement the Boutique. There is a lot missing from the Boutique. For starters, after installing 18.04 I can’t find Wine or any BitTorrent with the exception of TransMission. Synaptic provides a lot of additional software, but I don’t know if everything listed is safe to install on 18.04. I started to install Ubuntu Software Center, but some dependencies were going to be removed. What are my options besides the Boutique?
Software Boutique is meant to give you quick access to curated software - both free and some non-free - with installations that “just work.” It’s all high quality in there, but selection is limited.
You can install the replacement for Ubuntu Software Center from a terminal like this:
sudo apt install gnome-software
If you are reasonably comfortable using the console, apt and apt-get will let you install anything that is in the Ubuntu repositories.
Snaps are the new hotness. I haven’t looked at the Snap Store yet, but that is another place you can find stuff that just works.
Take it from somebody that's used Synaptic for ages and has never used anything else. Did you know it has a legend and shows Ubuntu supported packages?
Here is supported BitTornado and the more generic original bittorrent client.
After awhile you realize Component = main is maintained by Ubuntu and Component = universe has more generic Linux programs.
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In Software Boutique go to More programs (or something like that … 2nd icon from the right) and install program Software. That is Gnome Software that replaced Ubuntu Software Center that was available in earlier versions.
One of the options is scripting.
This is my old script with the zenity UI, should be easy to adapt:
[code]#!/bin/bash
if ! hash zenity 2>/dev/null; then
echo -e “Zenity has not been found!\nInstall zenity before running this script.”
exit
fi
check for elevated privileges
if [ “$EUID” -ne “0” ]; then
if [[ “$pkexec” -eq “0” ]]; then
exec pkexec env DISPLAY=$DISPLAY XAUTHORITY=$XAUTHORITY “$0”
exit 0
elif [[ “$kdesu” -eq “0” ]]; then
exec kdesu “$0”
exit 0
elif [[ “$gksu” -eq “0” ]]; then
exec gksu “$0”
exit 0
else
echo “Cannot find appropiate way to run as root! Please report!” 1>&2
exit 1
fi
fi
In this array we define Package Names and Descriptions
Package Names and Descriptions are separated with an underscore character _
[key]=“package-name_description”
declare -A APPS=(
[0]=“aqualung_Music player”
[1]=“frozen-bubble_Game”
[2]=“gcolor2_Color selector”
[3]=“gweled_Puzzle game”
[4]=“minitube_Youtube”
[5]=“neverball_Game”
[6]=“qmmp_Music player”
[7]=“shutter_For screenshots”
)
This appears in the zenity dialog
[key]=“app name”
declare -A APP_NAME=(
[0]=“Aqualung”
[1]=“Frozen Bubble”
[2]=“Gcolor2”
[3]=“Gweled”
[4]=“Mini Tube”
[5]=“Neverball”
[6]=“Qmmp”
[7]=“Shutter”
)
APP_TITLE=“Install Apps”
function checklock ()
{
Checks for exclusive lock and wait until package managers are closed
while fuser /var/lib/dpkg/lock 2>&1 >/dev/null ; do
echo “# ! . . . . . . waiting for package manager(s) to close . . . . . . !” $"\n"
if [ “$(pidof synaptic)” ]; then
echo “# ! . . . . . . waiting for package manager(s) to close . . . . . . !” $"\nsynaptic"
fi
echo 1
sleep 1
echo 30
sleep 1
echo 60
sleep 1
if [ ! -z “$(pgrep gdebi-gtk)” ]; then
echo “# ! . . . . . . waiting for package manager(s) to close . . . . . . !” $"\ngdebi-gtk"
fi
echo 95
sleep 1
done | (if ! zenity --progress
–window-icon="$ic"
–title="$APP_TITLE - Waiting!"
–percentage=20
–auto-close
then killall $(basename $0)
exit 0
fi)
}
_chklist()
{
for k in “${!APPS[@]}”; do
while read -a X; do
# Grab and set a var for the build.
if [ “${X[0]}” == “Installed:” ]; then
if [ “${X[1]}” == “(none)” ]; then
printf -v VERSION “%s” “”
else
printf -v VERSION “%s” “${X[1]}”
fi
break
fi
done <<< "$(apt-cache policy "${APPS[$k]%%}")"
printf “%s\n%s\n%s\n%s\n%s\n” “FALSE” “$k” “${APP_NAME[$k]}” "${APPS[$k]#}" “$_VERSION”
done
}
_simulate()
{
This function simulates the instalatoin results
(echo -e “This is only a simulation\nIf want to install click ‘Install’\n\n”;
stdbuf -oL apt-get --simulate -y --force-yes install “${pkg[@]}” --show-progress)
| zenity --title="$APP_TITLE: Simulation"
–text-info
–height=600
–width=800
–ok-label=“Install”
[[ $? -ne 0 ]] && exit 0
}
_main()
{
Main dialog
choices=$( _chklist | zenity --title="$APP_TITLE"
–width=520
–height=400
–text=“Select to install”
–list
–column=“Select”
–column=“Key”
–column=“Name”
–column=“Description”
–column=“Installed”
–checklist
–hide-column=2
–print-column=2
–ok-label=“Install”)
If Cancel is clicked then exit
if [ “${?}” -ne “0” ]; then
exit 0
fi
if [[ ! “${choices}” =~ ^[0-9|]+$ ]]; then
zenity --info
–title="$APP_TITLE"
–text=‘Nothing was selected for installation.’
_main
fi
}
_main
pkg=()
IFS=’|’ read -a choices <<< “${choices}”
for choice in “${choices[@]}”; do
pkg+=( “${APPS[$choice]%%_*}” )
done
Check for exclusive lock
checklock
_simulate
stdbuf -oL apt-get -y --force-yes install “${pkg[@]}” --show-progress
| stdbuf -oL sed -n -e ‘s/Progress:[ ][//;s/%]//;s/^[ \t]*//p;/^[a-zA-Z]/s/^/#/p’
| zenity --progress --title=“Installing - Please wait” --auto-close
if [ “${PIPESTATUS[0]}” -ne “0” ]; then
zenity --error
–title="$APP_TITLE"
–text=“Something went wrong while installing!”
exit 1
fi
zenity --info
–title="$APP_TITLE"
–text=“Successfully installed.”
exit 0[/code]
I remember in another thread someone mentioning that Gnome Software is replacing Ubuntu Software Center. What does that mean? Is Ubuntu Software Center no longer available or is it Ubuntu has chosen Gnome Software over Ubuntu Software Center?
@Bill_MI Thanks for the tip. My Synaptic now shows “Component”. It did not by default. Also, I found it interesting that Ubuntu Software Center was listed in Synaptic yesterday, but not today.
I think it’s no longer maintained.
Here you can find more detailed answer.
I haven’t really use it much to know how well it works. I usually find everything I need in Software Boutique, otherwise in Synaptic or trough ppa’s.
There is also new way which I haven’t explore much installing snaps from Snapcraft.
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GNOME Software and AppCenter are good alternatives, as is Synaptic.
But I would suggest, if you can, that you familiarize yourself with CLI and apt 
Thanks for all the replies. So far I have looked at all options but done nothing else. I already have Synaptic, and other sources checked. I will keep the snap store in mind, but don’t see any added benefit yet. I looked at Gnome Software, it wants to remove sessioninstaller to be installed. Not sure what the impact of that is.
re. Gnome Software …
Most of what I already use I find in the boutique, which makes those installs easy and automatic. The rest I grab from apt (command line). Apt isn’t hard to use, but it is also not beginner-friendly. So I have to admit - I have only attempted to run Gnome Software a couple of times, and one of those it didn’t even start correctly. 
We’re currently in a weird place with package installers. Apt used to cover everything, but now we have snap and flatpak (other distributions) that containerize installs. Apt supports the libre stuff well, but proprietary installs like Chrome and Minecraft aren’t quite as smooth. Someone will come along and unify this in a way that satisfies everyone, but I haven’t seen that solution yet.
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I find App Grid an essential source for many things: https://www.appgrid.org/