UBUNTU 8.10:Help this newbie.

kthurst

Hello guys,
I am a newbie to ubuntu as well as linux. I was looking for a good linux for my laptop and in this forum I was suggested to get ubuntu 8.10. Now I have installed ubuntu 8.10 (downloaded iso fole from bit torrent) on my laptop. I am happy that it is supporting the laptop features. But I need some help regarding the folowing issues.
1.I don't know the ubuntu I have installed is 32bit or 64bit. How to check? (just for curiosity)
2.Audio and video players need codecs. Where do I get it from. I dont have internet connection to my system. So I cannot run "apt-get ... <some http:// link>". I have to download it in a system in cyber cafe and have to carry to my system where I have to install. Please guide me.
3. Apart from audio, video codecs I also want some development softwares like QT, JAVA. (If possible 'MATLAB' equivalent). How to get them?
I am googling in the net, but not being able to follow....
Please guide me.
Thank you.

bakuryu

To know the version you can either type :
cat /etc/issue
or
lsb_release -a
or
you can check it from the torrent name itself.

I think Ubuntu has a media player that plays most of the files. I am not sure if VLC is installed by default.

If you need VLC, and if unsure of any dependencies/plugins required, download all the .deb files with version 0.8.6 and for i386 (for 32bit) or amd64 (if using 64 bit)
ftp://ftp.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/v/vlc/

Install the deb files using :
dpkg --install <file-name.deb>

you can download java from here : http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp

And QT means QuickTime ? vlc can play quick time videos too.
For Matlab : https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MATLAB

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kthurst

Thank you.
QT is similar to Visual basic (If Iam not wrong)....
By default VLC is not installed. There is something called 'movie payer'.
I tried playing .avi files and it asked me for codecs. Same case with .mp3 files in the audio player (ther's only one player installed by default).
Anyway, I will try the stuffs you have suggested. I will come back to you soon... :-)
Thanx once again.

Strider

For linux mplayer is the first choice for playing video files and XMMS for audio.

Here is a good guide:

Install Mplayer and Multimedia Codecs (libdvdcss2,w32codecs,w64codecs) in Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) -- Ubuntu Geek

But since you don't have an internet connection at the ubuntu box, you'll need to get the complied banaries or use the source to compile it for yourself. All debian packages should install fine in ubuntu, but binaries may need a number of dependent packages.

You can search for ubutnu packages in Ubuntu -- Ubuntu Packages Search

Mplayer page for Intrepid (8.10) is here:

Ubuntu -- Details of package mplayer in intrepid

See all those dependency packages. You may need most of them to install the downloaded .deb package. Binary download links to the bottom of the page. Yeah, it's a tedious job, you'll need to visit all those dependency pages and download the packages.

You can install the deb packages using the shell. First change to the directory where you 've copied the .deb packages.

e.g.

Then use:

Btw. For music Audacious should be installed in your ubuntu. Check it out.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Audacious

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bakuryu

The linux versions for QT should install fine :
Open Source Downloads &mdash; Qt Software - Code Less. Create More. Deploy Everywhere.
or
ftp://ftp.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/uni...q/qt-x11-free/

kthurst

Quote:
"Btw. For music Audacious should be installed in your ubuntu. Check it out."


I checked it. Its not intalled :-(

kthurst

While trying to install vlc,xmms,octave etc, it listed some dependency packages. I noted them all and tried to download one by one. But for my wonder each of these packages has in turn a list of dependencies.
As you said, the job is tedious. :-)
Why don't UBUNTU provide all these stuff with their installation CD itself ?!!

I am thinking of going for other distributions. How about Fedora Core-10?

Strider

Space constraints and licensing issues (e.g. MP3).

It's pretty good for more advanced users. But for beginners Ubuntu is the best choice to start. In fedora also you'll need to install most of the audio/video kind of softwares manually ( because of licensing issues). Only catch is if you perform a full install (should be couple of GBs of harddisk space) most of the dependencies will be already installed.

It'll all be easy if you have an internet connection at the Linux box. Yum will manage all dependencies automatically.

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kthurst

Ok... I am gonna get internet connection this week.
Let me try it. I have Fedora 10, but I want to solve these Ubuntu problems and use it rather than installing Fedora. Actually, I never wanted all these stuff readily available. I am happy that by these exercises I am learning something atleast.... There is no fun if all the things are spoon fed, right? :-)
Thank you.

MEtal247

^

If you are getting internet connection than you should have no probs. Working on linux is fun. Good luck !

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