Different Linux distributions package up software in different ways. RedHat uses .rpm files, while Debian and Ubuntu use .deb files. To convert a .rpm to a .deb file, you can use the alien program:
alien -k package.rpm
The -k option preserves the minor version number of a package (don’t worry about it, just do it or read the man page).
Installing a package in Debian or Ubuntu is also easy. To install a .deb file, you can type:
sudo dpkg -i packagename.deb
To uninstall a package, use
sudo dpkg -r packagename


Converting deb files in Ubuntu - Read More...