I started using linux more than 25 years ago, IIRC. I think it was Redhat 5.

In those days if you wanted to add a new application, you would download the sourcefile. Compile it. Try to install. Nope, library(ies) need upgrading. Try to upgrade the libraries. Nope, other libraries needed upgrading. And so on.

Thank heavens for apt and its cousins!