Absolute clarity

Hi Everyone

I'm quite proud of myself sofar with Ubuntu successfully setup and upgraded to the KDE (Kubuntu), which I've done myself and not had too many problems. Bearing in mind that I've been using Microsofts offerings since MS-DOS and Windows 3.1. But I'm a developer and Linux seems like a play ground for new ideas and development in general and before I can even dream about programming for Linux I could do with learning the system from scratch. Me thinks...

Right now I'm troubling myself with possibly some of the most trivial things.

Installing packages not from the Ubuntu community for example:

Can I use RPM packages, or do I need to locate DPKG (Debian format).

I've got some RPM packages in my Home folder but I don't know what to do with them - lol

Also, is there a good place to look for linux wrappers to USB devices like I have a Lexmark x83 Printer (ubuntu ofer x73 drivers), a IBM fingerprint reader, Belkin Wreless G network adapter...

Any tips or information would be appreciated...

UPDATED MAIN THREAD: My cousins also recently got copies of the latest release of Ubuntu (I've got installed Hoaryhedgehog 5.04) and he says his is version 10 I've been running all the updates whilst the computer was online should I updgrade?

I've got the Kubuntu udates installed and running sweet at the moment, and I'm wondering if it's worth fixing what isn't broke.

Thanks

Ubuntu, as a Debian-based distro uses DEB files for installation, rather than RPMs. There is a utility called Alien that you can use to convert RPMs to DEBs, but I understand that it may not be 100% reliable. If you check the Synaptic utility in Ubuntu, you may find the programs you'd like to install and then do your installs without having to worry about RMPs or DEBs.

Yeah, my problem is that I've got the system all installed whilst on my wired network, then had to convert the house to a wireless and as a consequence I don't have a network connection under Ubuntu. So I can't even update the package manager unless I can persuade it to go online.

I'm pretty sure I've found the NDIS wrapper that I need on Linuxant's website (http://www.linuxant.com/driverloader) but I've just ended up with yet another RPM in my Home folder... :confused:

A friend sent me some games a little while ago and ended up with RPMs that I couldn't figure out how to use.

Tom.