under Menu → administration → Software Boutique
i select Software Boutique and nothing happens.
I am using a Optiplex 9020
on this machine i switched from a windows 10 install to a Mate install
TIA
Dave
Software Boutique is just a small Python app. When it won’t open, the usual
cause is that one of its Python-GTK libraries is missing or the package
itself is half-installed. The quickest way to diagnose (and usually fix) is
to launch it from a terminal and reinstall if it throws an error.
#Run it by hand to see any messages
software-boutique
If nothing appears in the terminal, or you see “command not found”, the
package isn’t there (or didn’t finish configuring). Re-install it:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install --reinstall software-boutique
After the reinstall finishes, try again from the menu. Still no joy? Post
whatever error text you got in the terminal and we can dig further—but in
most cases the reinstall pulls in the missing Python-GTK bits and Boutique
launches normally.
buggs@buggs-OptiPlex-9020:~$ sudo apt install software-boutique
[sudo] password for buggs:
Error: Unable to locate package software-boutique
buggs@buggs-OptiPlex-9020:~$
software-boutique lives in the universe repository.
Your sources list doesn’t have universe enabled, so APT can’t find the package.
# turn the universe repo on
sudo add-apt-repository universe
# refresh package lists
sudo apt update
# install (or reinstall) the Boutique package
sudo apt install --reinstall software-boutique
Then run it again:
software-boutique
If it still refuses to open, copy whatever error text shows in the terminal and we’ll dig further but on most systems enabling universe is all it takes.
The Ubuntu MATE Software Boutique is deprecated and was replaced with App Centre; this happened between 23.10 & 24.04, so are you sure you’re trying to run Software Boutique.
https://ubuntu-mate.org/blog/ubuntu-mate-noble-numbat-release-notes/
Added App Center, that replaces Software Boutique.
That is expected for Ubuntu [MATE] 24.04 or later, due to the app being deprecated.
Why not try App Cener, on a Ubuntu-MATE 24.10 system I just booted live it appears in the Favourites, so it wasn’t difficult for me to find.
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either one is OK
its been so long since i have messed with linux lke this
i have forgotten most of what i knew
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buggs@buggs-OptiPlex-9020:~$ sudo apt install software-boutique
Error: Unable to locate package software-boutique
I know the program, in fact I used to recommend it (refer here but that was written years ago).
Others have noticed & missed it too; eg. here on Ubuntu MATE’s discourse a ~year ago where my reply was pretty much the same as what I put here.
The developers of that app no longer maintain it, so its curated lists of software no longer work for modern releases, and so its no longer the great choice it used to be.
is there
a way to fix/update to fix it?
The project is archived by the owner, refer GitHub - ubuntu-mate/software-boutique-2.0: New "2.0" version of Ubuntu MATE's curated software centre
You could of course fork it and create a replacement app, which is a fix of sorts (for you and others), but that app is End of Life.
Software boutique is in the menu
if there is a replacement then that is what i wanna install
as i said it has been a while since i have gotten into linux deeply
i just wanna fix it whatever needs doing
thank you for the help
I booted a live system as I don’t have a 24.10 system here anymore (to my knowledge anyway, as we’re approaching the 24.10 EOL rather soon, and the next thing I’m expect to do with that release is post a warning notice of the 24.10’s EOL)
If you clean installed 24.10 I’d not expect it there, and I’d have to do an install to see what you’re actually seeing. This is what exists on the ISO for install and I don’t readily see anything that stands our as doesn’t belong; but given EOL is so close; it’d only be fixed if it was also an issue on 25.04 where you’ll need to release-upgrade soon.
If you have the App Centre installed I’d run it instead, but I will note that user(s) have had issues finding it before, eg. here answered by @ricmarques.
Your initial post & title mentioned “Installed 24.10” rather than an older release being release-upgraded to 24.10 though.
For me to comment further, I’d have to see what you’re seeing, OR actually have time to do an install of Ubuntu-MATE 24.10 and try and re-create it as stated earlier.