@dragonmouth,

You make a good point, especially for people with older computers or who prefer to keep things light. This list was mainly made to help new Ubuntu users get started with useful tools.

Synaptic is more powerful, yes, but the Software Center is easier for beginners, especially those coming from Windows or Mac. And Wine isn’t for everyone; it’s just there for people who still need to run the occasional Windows app.

As for apps like LibreOffice, GIMP, and VLC—they do take up space, no doubt. But they were included because they’re stable, familiar, and cover most basic needs. Of course, anyone can choose lighter apps or skip them completely. The list is just a starting point, not a must-have.

Synaptic Package Manager is a more complete program than Ubuntu Software Center but the Software Center does look prettier. I did not switch from Windows to Linux to be using Wine.

LibreOffice, Thunderbird, GIMP, VLC and Firefox take up a lot of storage space; altogether I would estimate close to 1.5 GB. While with today’s multi-terabyte drives that is a drop in a bucket, someone with an older system may find the too heavy.

You can still install any Linux OS using USB device. Please see the following article that shows you how to install Linux from USB stick.

Install Linux from USB Device