Top Things To Do After Installing Ubuntu
You have just installed Ubuntu, and you are staring blankly at the human themed desktop... Now what?
1. Enable Multiverse Repositories
The first ting to do on any new install is to enable the Multiverse Repositories. This will then give you access to the 'non free' applications, allowing you to install many more programs.To do this navigate to System -> Administration -> Software Sources
Once the new window has appeared, make sure that there are a tick in all of them boxes
2. Install Some Must Have Applications
Alien : Convert RPM files to DEB's
Cheese : An application that uses your webcam to take pictures and videos
Dia : Diagram editor, capable of creating UML Models
EasyTag : small application to edit the ID3 tags of your MP3 & OGG files
Feh : Simple image viewer. (Can also be used to set an image as your desktop background)
GParted : Partitioner editor for Gnome
Terminator : Open up multiple terminals in one window. Gives you the ability to split the current terminal horizontally or vertically.
To install all of the above, run this command:
sudo apt-get install alien cheese feh dia easytag gparted terminator
3. Install All Needed Codecs
Due to legal reasons, the codecs to play MP3, AVI (and a few other) file formats cannot be included within the default installation. Installing them is an easy process, and after doing so, you will be able to play all of your Music & Video files.
To find out how to install the codecs, please visit the following page on Ubuntu Geek.
4. Install Shiki-Colors Theme
Although I like the default color scheme, I know many people don't. The best theme that I have came across for Ubuntu is the Shiki-Color theme. NOTE: This will only work on Ubuntu using the Gnome environment
[Click Image To Increase Size]
wget http://download88.mediafire.com/ibwhzetwwylg/eyymgtyk0tc/colorizeme-shiki-0.2.tar.gz && tar -zxvf colorizeme-shiki-0.2.tar.gz && sudo ./install
This will download, unpack and install your new themes - giving it the sexy new look that you want!
5. Disable Un-needed Services
Ubuntu has many services that are enabled by default. As I don't use a printer, there is no need for this service to be enabled. Disabling the ones that you do not need will speed up the boot time for Ubuntu. To disable the ones you do not need, navigate to: System -> Administration -> Service Settings Unlock, and un-tick all un-neded services (eg: bluetooth, samba)
6. Install Microsoft Fonts
Having the default microsoft fonts could benefit you in may ways if you are viewing presentations or word documents that were created within windows.
To install these fonts:
sudo apt-get install msttcorefonts
More information on installing Microsoft fonts can be found here: /2008/10/install-microsoft-fonts-in-ubuntu.html
7. Install ubuntu-restricted-extras
This is a must have install for any new Ubuntu install. This package includes:
> Ability to play quick time files
> Flash Plugin for Firefox
> MP3 support
> Java 6 Runtime
> Microsoft Core Fonts
> Un-Rar
& many other codecs for videos and music
To install this package, run the following command:
sudo aptitude install ubuntu-restricted-extras
If you have any other things that you do after installing a fresh copy of Ubuntu that you would like to share, then please leave a comment!
Tags: Applications, How-To
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13 Respones to "Top Things To Do After Installing Ubuntu"
Sweeeeeet just what i needed. wish i new what a gnome enviroment was though ha ha
10 February 2009 19:33
Gnome is the default environment that Ubuntu uses. It controls on Ubuntu handles files, Windows, and tasks. Gnome also comes with a lot of the software that you find on a fresh install of Ubuntu such as Pidgin, OpenOffice.org etc.
Other desktop environments that you can get are KDE & XFCE.
10 February 2009 19:52
SO is gnome in the background all the time or like some sort of task manager ?
10 February 2009 23:05
If Gnome wasn't installed, you wouldn't have any menu, panels, background, screen-savers, a lot of your applications etc.
To find out more information on Gnome, visit: http://www.gnome.org/about
10 February 2009 23:10
Great but, The theme link does not work :).
17 February 2009 08:08
Sorry about that! I have now fixed the link.
17 February 2009 14:44
Thanks for the nice info.
Really helpful.
22 August 2009 15:36
Hi,
Thanks for your post! I'm using Ubuntu 9.01 and Gmail fonts look terrible. How can I fix that? I wish you could help me.
Thanks.
16 November 2009 00:16
So.. your list of things to do is _entirely_ to do with installing all the things that free software deliberately avoids? Why not just install Windows?
3 December 2009 09:52
@Moopet
Sorry, I'm not quite with you...
By 'free software' I am guessing that you mean Free-to-use Operating systems? I don't see how Linux deliberately avoids coming pre-installed with certian themes or fonts...
"Why not just install Windows?" I don't think you quite understand what Linux, or this blog is about. Maybe this isn't the site for you.
4 December 2009 01:03
Free software - http://www.fsf.org/about/what-is-free-software
Linux deliberately avoids being bundled with things that are not free. Well, most distros at least make an effort to.
I'm saying that if you're going to say that installing a bunch of proprietary stuff is the most important thing you can do, then maybe linux isn't for you?
5 December 2009 00:12
Thanks for the content of your site, liked a lot, now whenever possible I'll keep visiting.
2 July 2010 05:19
So .. your list of things to do is _entirely_ to do with the installation of all the things that free software deliberately avoiding? Why not just install Windows?
5 July 2011 07:30
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