HOWTO: Installing Multimedia Support in Ubuntu
Matthew Newton of PCWorld has a pretty good article on using Automatix to install multimedia codecs and applications on an Ubuntu box.
In the beginning of the article, Matthew seems little confused about why Ubuntu doesn’t come with all the codecs and stuff installed and provides a list of distros that don’t come with the same support. I’m surprised by that because I didn’t think it was any secret that the problem lies with licensing. Not many distros come with all the codecs that we’re used to using daily on our Windows or Mac machines and that’s due to licensing. These technologies cost money and in many cases neither the distro author nor the end user is willing to pay those costs. In most cases, distros that come with this support bundled are likely in a license violation position.
Enter Automatix. If you have no legal qualms about installing possibly dirty codecs to your system, then Automatix is your baby. Matthew does acknowledge that Automatix may provide some illegal services in some jurisdictions, so please take care.
Installing Microsoft Fonts, Rippers, and MP3 encoders are all a button click away with Automatix. Oh, and way cool - I see Firefox 1.5 in the list. I don’t know what that has to do with multimedia, but a friend of mine was having trouble getting FF 1.5 installed on his Ubuntu box just last weekend.
For more info on Automatix, take a look at the conversation on the Ubuntu site.
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12 opinions for HOWTO: Installing Multimedia Support in Ubuntu
Ganesh
Jan 31, 2006 at 7:56 pm
the first link seems to be broken…and (for me atleast) redirects to micro$oft.com…please correct it asap :)
Jeff
Jan 31, 2006 at 9:10 pm
Very nice. The only way I’ve been able to upgrade Firefox. It did miss installing a couple apps when I asked for all of them at once. When I went back and asked for them individually, it did better.
Jon
Jan 31, 2006 at 9:25 pm
@Ganesh: Thanks - I wonder why it does that. I’ve seen that numerous times on the web. When a link has an extra http:// in it, it always directs to MS.
@Jeff: FF worked? Coo - I’ll send it to my buddy who’s having troubles. Thanks!
daveb
Feb 1, 2006 at 7:42 am
Automatix installs way more junk than I require. I much prefer to use Ubuntu’s documentation and do it myself. It’s easy enough to copy and paste your own script anyway.
For multimedia codecs:
http://help.ubuntu.com/starterguide/C/faqguide-all.html#codecs
For Firefox 1.5:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FirefoxNewVersion
For most other howtos and questions:
http://help.ubuntu.com/
Or the forums:
http://ubuntuforums.org/
Jon
Feb 1, 2006 at 7:48 am
@Daveb: Can’t you pick and choose what Automatix installs? Granted I haven’t used it, but from the screenshot and the article I read I was under the impression that you could tell it what to install.
No?
Thanks for the FF link - I hadn’t seen that one before.
John Mills
Feb 1, 2006 at 10:38 am
Hi there Jon,
I have used automatix and have found it to be very useful indeed for me in that it saves a good deal of time configuring a system to be functional for my requirements. With automatix virtually every media format can be played and also you get the options of installing packages such as Java and Flash.
You can choose to only install the required packages that you want to, it is not a one size fits all solution. Jon, are you going to touch any more on the LSB issues in Linux or the DCCA/Ubuntu/Debian standardisation efforts. It appears the DCCA are going to start using the Ubuntu kernal, should be interesting (http://lists.dccalliance.org/pipermail/dcc-devel/2006-January/000487.html).
http://www.mepis.org/node/8941?from=0&comments_per_page=30
The politics of GNU/Linux are can or worms. It would be good to discuss this in the JaK show,every one has an opinion after all (just my two pence there). Take it easy Jon
John Mills
James Harking
Feb 3, 2006 at 11:32 am
Hello.
I’m a new visitor to this site and I have to say I like it. I will try out this automatix on my Ubuntu install. I will come visit again soon.
J. Harking
Jon
Feb 3, 2006 at 11:38 am
Hi James. Great - let us know how it goes!
John Mills
Feb 3, 2006 at 11:43 am
Hi again Jon,
do you have any comments on my previous posting? Anyway this url contains some more info for you on the LSB evolution.
http://www.linux-watch.com/news/NS4876054750.html
You and Kelly take care now.
John Mills
Jon
Feb 3, 2006 at 12:08 pm
Hi John,
I’m having a crazy week around here. I’m about to launch yet another big idea and it’s eating me alive!
LSB - you’ve touched upon something that interests me greatly, but sadly I have very little knowledge of. I understand the idea is to provide some mechanism for users and developers to guage how close a given distro is to a set base, but that’s about as far as I go.
I think I mentioned this somewhere - I’m about to embark upon my LPI certification. Not because I think a cert is going to make me a better person, but because as a self-taught Linux dude, there’s a LOT of holes in my knowledge. I think studying for the LPI will help fill those gaps.
The LPI is LSB-centric so I also hope that studying for it will provide some clarity for me on the whole LSB issue.
Then I’ll tackle it!
Unless, John, you’d like to do a guest post here on New Linux User? I’d welcome the expertise if you’re interested in doing that.
Abhishek
Mar 1, 2006 at 11:53 am
this should be interesting.
Jon
Mar 1, 2006 at 12:14 pm
Huh?
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