After you've installed Ubuntu Linux you can start using it for web browsing, e-mails, reading and writing office documents, chatting and much more immediately. However there are a lot of things that an average user would like to do on his PC. The script below is the solution to make Ubuntu the "Linux for ALL human beings".
So, which are the most common problems?
What could happen to you when you try to play a MP3? Nothing. That happened to me when I installed Ubuntu 6.06 LTS for the first time. Of course, the sound card was set up correctly but all the multimedia applications - Totem, Rhythmbox and XMMS refused to play the file. So you need proper codecs to play MP3s.
Why can't Totem play the DivX movies I have? The same as the previous problem - no codecs.
Want to chat with your buddies? Great, Gaim is right there for ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, AIM and others, but what about all the millions of people using Skype? Unfortunately, Skype is not under GPL but does the average PC user care about the license? All he wants is to talk with his friend on the opposite side of the earth.
What happened to all the flash websites? Sure, you have to install Macromedia Adobe Flash Player on your own. Mozilla Firefox tries to install it but the result is an error message. So, you need to download the Linux version of the Flash Player, unpack and install it.
And what about Java? Again, you need to install the JRE and then enable Java in the browser.
All these problems can be resolved using only a simple text editor like gedit and the apt-get (or the graphical - Synaptic, of course). But would the user who have been using Windows for a long time like something like that? Probably not. The solution is called EasyUbuntu. Just copy & paste in the terminal and a simple and effective application will offer you to install all these missing elements - from codecs to Skype.
What is EasyUbuntu able to install:
Multimedia:
Enhance the video player by replacing totem-gstreamer with totem-xine
Codecs for playing MP3s
All the video codecs you need - w32codecs
All you need to read encrypted and commercial DVDs
Support for playing MIDI files
Web: Flash and Java plugins for Firefox will be installed.
Archives: Can't find a .tar.gz version of the file you have on your old CDs? Now you'll be able to open RAR, ACE and 7-zip formats, too.
VoIP: Skype will be installed for you. By the way, Skype released a new beta version of Skype for Linux yesterday. It was a long wait. EasyUbuntu offers you the OpenWengo application, too.
System:
Installation of Microsoft's Fonts (Arial, Verdana, Comic Sans...) and more nice fonts
Installation of the official Nvidia or ATI drivers for your graphics card
All you have to do to start the graphical installation is to paste these lines in the terminal (look for it in the Applications menu):
wget http://easyubuntu.freecontrib.org/files/easyubuntu-3.021.tar.gz tar -zxf easyubuntu-3.021.tar.gz cd easyubuntu sudo python easyubuntu.in
Here are some screenshots of this procedure:
The Terminal is started:
The commands above:
The Multimedia options:
The Web options - Flash, Java and more:
The Archives options:
The System options:
Some of the checkboxes above are grayed out because I've already installed them before. When you choose what you want to install click OK and the installation will begin.
1. star war wrote: (29 Jun 2006, 18:23 GMT) that's a nice tool for the people who are switching from windows to ubuntu.
2. darren wrote: (29 Jun 2006, 22:19 GMT) One of the greatest things in Ubuntu is the simplicity of everything. However I doubt someone who just installed Ubuntu for the very first time will be able to understand what's all about.
3. Zee wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 05:33 GMT) Why is your interface in Bulgarian?
4. richard101 wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 05:33 GMT) If I change my laptop from Windows XP to linux will my wi-fi still work?
5. Daniel wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 06:42 GMT) This is a great tool, thanks.
richard101: depends, mine does
6. Tzvi wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 07:39 GMT) Ok, I copy and pasted your code to install it, now how do i get this program to run?
7. Someone_whoisnot_a_windows_NOOB wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 07:57 GMT) Richard: YES, wifi works better under ubuntu than XP you dont even have to install the drivers, IT JUST WORKS.
I think this whole article is stupid since it make the problems out to be bugs and not, as they correctly are, problems with licences on the software makers part.
People do care about licences, I do.
If you want the speed, stablity and security of linux THEN LEARN TO USE IT! dont make stupid scripts, we dont want the noobs let them have shitty windows
8. maluka wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 08:01 GMT) a good option if you are new to linux is the option to dual boot. ubuntu does this very well.
9. okan wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 10:14 GMT) That's great for the linux newbies. If someone is so stupid and can't understand the simple and useful ubuntu - let him die with M$.
10. mog wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 10:21 GMT) Great tool, even for Linux vets. Saves loads of time trying to remember where the hell all the codecs are....
11. RedSkies wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 10:22 GMT) Richard101: Yes. It will. Especially if you install Ubuntu Dapper Drake which you can download from their site as FREE!!! :) Don't be scared to switch from Windows to Ubuntu. Ubuntu is very easy to learn and there are lots of tutorial on the net. Take this URL for example http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Dapper
12. justinol wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 10:35 GMT) xgl support made easy? could ya do it? be great cause its easy on suse but not ubuntu even following wiki guide.
13. User McAnonymousalot wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 10:41 GMT) I like automatic more myself - it has more options, although its marginally less straighforward than this. I hope Ubuntu is able to include the option to run a script like this at startup in future versions - seems like it should be possible to at least offer the option to the user without violating any license issues..
Also: Dear Someone_whoisnot_a_windows_NOOB,
There are three things preventing Linux from becoming widespread on the desktop: Availability of specific non-free programs, driver support from vendors, and arrogant faux-elitists like you. Maybe you "don't want the 'noobs'", but I do, because those people make an OS successful. It's the 'noobs' who are going to make Linux mainstream and trigger an outpouring of support and software from major sofware companies.
14. Spook wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 14:36 GMT) But where is modem support??? I have both a winmodem and a hardware modem, and it does not recognize either, (even with linmodem drivers.)
15. whatnotius wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 16:36 GMT) When I was first learning Ubuntu I got a a few stupid nasty remarks like the ones from the asshole who wrote above:
"If you want the speed, stablity and security of linux THEN LEARN TO USE IT! dont make stupid scripts, we dont want the noobs let them have shitty windows."
How DARE he decide whether Linux users want noobs? Of COURSE we want noobs. What is he AFRAID of? Wasn't he himself a noob once?
How dare he also decide that scripts are "stu[id." Get a life, you jerk.
Okan is another anal retentive who just doesn't get it.
I love EasyUbuntu. It solved 90% of my whines with Linux in the few minutes it took me to download, install, and run it. It also has greatly helped me with learning Ubuntu.
16. Brandon wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 16:38 GMT) Just the face that you called yourself "someone_whoisnot_a_windows_noob" already shows your immaturity in dealing with the matter. McAnonymous has very good points in both the bottom and top halves of his comment. It is the unwelcoming people like you that factors in as another reason people would avoid linux.. an arrogant, immature user base (not all, but there are alot). Why do something a much more difficult way, if theres something to automate the process? Yes, I agree that ubuntu users should learn how to do it the hard way, but why not just get it all set up. I dont feel like I am "cheating" by automating the install of codecs, big whoopdedoo. I am saving time so I can focus on learning the more important aspects of linux.
17. Linux is not Windows wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 16:41 GMT) Those who whine that WIndows is worse or Linux is better simply do not understand that they are merely DIFFERENT.
Linux users are not members of an exclusive club. If LInux is so great, how come millions are not switching to it every day, as they did with Firefox?
I use Ubuntu and two versions of Windows, and I heartily commend dual/multi- boot installations to enjoy the best of both worlds. I do.
18. big bob 'the N00b' wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 17:42 GMT) So ho Do you run this app?
I suppose you 'cd' to the home dir where easyUbuntu installs and enter a run cmd.. what is it? ?
19. Harry wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 17:46 GMT) After you unpacked the archive go to the easyubuntu dir and write:
sudo python easyubuntu.in
20. Yippee! wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 19:19 GMT) Thank you Harry wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 17:46 GMT) I did it and it worked!!! !
21. Tom wrote: (30 Jun 2006, 20:15 GMT) I tried this on a new install of Dapper, after doing all the auto updates. I checked every box in EasyUbuntu.
"Could not apply changes! Fix broken packages first."
I unchecked the 3d graphics drivers, and then everything worked fine. Thanks!
22. Fra wrote: (01 Jul 2006, 11:56 GMT) I like all the Keep It Simple stuff. One of the main purposes of Ubuntu is everyone to be able to use it...
23. Nick "new to linux" suse wrote: (01 Jul 2006, 18:58 GMT) Bah. Arrogant turds like "Someone_whoisnot_a_windows_NOOB wrote:" make me not want to run linux.
Helpful people like this author make me want this system more. Coming from windows, i cant do half the things i like to on linux yet. Being able to automate the system, then go back and figure out what was changed and how helps more than you can imagine. The biggest thing keeping linux from becoming the new "windows" is the fact that a lot of software developers see that windows is easy.. Easy means people will use it. If its hard, people wont want to flock to it.
Once a linux user can pick up a box off the shelf, and install it with a couple simple clicks, and expect it to work every time, then you will see people flocking to the linux banner. This automated script just caught my waning interest in the os. How many more are going to want to join simply because one author found and wrote a system for someone to get the functions they want without the hassle?
24. n00b of n00bs wrote: (01 Jul 2006, 19:20 GMT) thanx all for your support. better to be lacking knowledge and willing to learn, than to know and be arrogant.
25. Tom wrote: (02 Jul 2006, 13:19 GMT) I tried but i get a message: "Could not apply changes! Fix broken packages first." I unchecked the 3d Drivers and it still doesnt work. (By the way I am a differnt Tom from above, just a coincidence that we have the same problem).
26. NoRoot wrote: (02 Jul 2006, 13:59 GMT) You can try
sudo apt-get install -f
before running easyubuntu. Not sure if that will work.
27. Allan wrote: (02 Jul 2006, 14:16 GMT) I have to ask... Considering that 6.06LTS comes with Automatix installed as default, which is officially supported, and does the same thing as easyUbuntu...
Why use easyUbuntu(unofficial program) over Automatix(official and supported program)?
28. X11 wrote: (02 Jul 2006, 14:31 GMT) It's always good to have a choice and to be free to decide what to use.
29. SonyPS wrote: (04 Jul 2006, 14:49 GMT) Worked great for me. Finally the DVDs are playing normally.
30. jordan wrote: (05 Jul 2006, 09:18 GMT) "Considering that 6.06LTS comes with Automatix installed as default"
ummm....no it doesn't
31. Ubuntu Lover wrote: (05 Jul 2006, 10:44 GMT) I wish there was a really good alternative of Photoshop (or a way to run it natively in Ubuntu). Photoshop is the only reason to keep the windows on the other partition.
32. Sam wrote: (06 Jul 2006, 18:46 GMT) I tried it, but it doesn't work. All I get is "Could not apply changes! Fix broken packages first." I tried unchecking everything except the items on the Web tab, and then I got four 404 errors, saying the files are not available from the server.
I am using the Browser-Appliance from VMWare, and so is a large class of students I am introducing to Linux. I hoped to show them an easy way to set up Ubuntu to see Web pages properly, but instead I will show them the hard way.
Thanks for trying, anyway! This is what I encountered with MEPIS also, it sounds good, but once it starts to get popular, the servers get overloaded and go down. All the system files should be torrents, if you ask me.
33. Ubuntu Edgy wrote: (31 Jul 2006, 22:59 GMT) From my experience I am sure that Ubuntu Linux is the most user-friendly OS ever. Slackware, Suse, Mandrake (Mandriva)... are great but all of them are making the average windows users more or less confused. With Ubuntu it's different... i have no idea why but it is.
34. PJ wrote: (04 Aug 2006, 03:13 GMT) Initially it wasn't working, but I was trying to install every option. After I actually read through them and decided which ones I really needed it worked like a dream. Thanks for this tool.
35. informer wrote: (23 Aug 2006, 21:57 GMT) got "Could not apply changes! Fix broken packages first." when trying to install it all relevant items in one go
then installed 1 thing at a time, and everything was OK
how do I check for broken packages and how do I fix them?
37. JavaQ wrote: (07 Sep 2006, 07:18 GMT) look at the comment above yours - #35:
if you get this error, just install one item at a time - for example first install only the codecs, finish the installation and then start easyubuntu again - choose flash, install it... and so until you install the items you want to.
38. beachbum wrote: (08 Dec 2006, 10:24 GMT) Caught this error message: IOError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: './packagelist-edgy.xml' Any ideas?
39. New-to-Linux wrote: (31 Dec 2006, 12:31 GMT) This helped me a lot yesterday when I installed Ubuntu......... http://www.getautomatix.com/
Don't all jump down my throat but Ubuntu is never going to be popular unless it starts automating a little more. Installing firefox 2 was ridiculous. With windows you just double click and its pretty much done.
40. alessio wrote: (31 Dec 2006, 20:44 GMT) Sure, but it's getting better and better with every release. I'm sure that in 3-4 years everything will be TOTALLY different.
41. RAFF wrote: (04 Feb 2007, 19:30 GMT) I don't usually comment on these boards, but !=Win_noob's comments need further reply.
Linux is not a special club for L337 Hax0r5 you f00l. Easy Ubuntu is an excellent idea. There are plenty of people out there who would love to replace Windows with Linux, but don't want their PC to be unproductive for a few weeks while they learn to use it.
The only reason humanity has achieved such technological greatness (in comparison to the chimpanzee for example) is that individuals spent time recording their discoveries for others to use. It is the very definition of science. If you think Easy Ubuntu is a bad idea, then you might aswell stop using Linux too, because they are both based on the same ideals. I work all day with computers (99% linux too!) but I don't want to spend my evenings doing it too. To the creators and maintainers of Easy Ubuntu, I say "Way to go. Don't feel the Trolls."
42. Chudilo wrote: (13 Sep 2007, 15:28 GMT) Can you guys Get the Envy developer on-board. He seems to have a foolproof solution to the ATI / NVIDIA driver installation.
Great job on the app. Although a wizard type of an installation would've been better. instead of answering all the questions without asking the user provide an option to run an advanced install like most windows installations do.
And I completely agree on the noobs thing. I personally am about a mid level Ubuntu user and can handle all these installs personally. But thanks to this app, I was able to get convert at least 2 ppl to ubuntu. Both had it installed but did nto want to fiddle with all the individual installations. Just because it takes too long to find a proper walk-through.
43. LatitudeD69 wrote: (25 Sep 2007, 15:17 GMT) I'm about to try installing for the first time after dual-booting. I now have enough to get me started on my ext HD for when I do thanks to this tutorial.
Also, as a side note I'd like to point out that most windows users don't know common terms like partition or kernal, in fact most don't even know what the BIOS is. Mainly because the windows platform is designed for that purpose which is why it's more mainstream. More tutorials like this will enable (as you so neatly put it) 'noobs' to sample Ubuntu for themselves and encourage it to become more popular.
44. michael wrote: (01 Jan 2008, 21:42 GMT) Okan is just being too stupid to call new linux users stupid.
Michael
45. rajib lochan wrote: (15 Apr 2008, 16:16 GMT) great info! however, but i think pclinuxos is still simpler and easy. you don't need to do all that everything works out of box. for more read http://pclinuxos2007.blogspot.com
