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Linux for Starters: Your Guide to Linux – 8 Things to do after installing Ubuntu – Part 5

Last Updated on May 22, 2022

4. Video/Audio Codecs and TrueType Fonts

Due to patent and copyright restrictions, support for proprietary media formats (codecs for common audio and video files) are not configured “out of the box”. Instead, Ubuntu produces an Ubuntu Restricted Extras package that lets you install software which is not already included due to legal or copyright reasons.

The Ubuntu Restricted Extras package is installed by entering the following command in a terminal:

$ sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras

Note: To install this package, you must accept a Microsoft End-User License Agreement (EULA), as the package installs Microsoft’s TrueType core fonts.

If you want access to proprietary media formats but don’t want to accept the Microsoft EULA, you should install the Ubuntu Restricted Addons package instead by entering the following command in a terminal:

$ sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-addons

The Ubuntu Restricted Addons package is automatically installed when installing the Ubuntu Restricted Extras package.

To play DVDs, you need to install libdvdcss by entering the following command in a terminal:

$ sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh

Next Page: Page 5 – GNOME Tweaks


Pages in this article:
Page 1 – Initial Update
Page 2 – Install Drivers
Page 3 – Enable Backups
Page 4 – Video/Audio Codecs and TrueType Fonts
Page 5 – GNOME Tweaks
Page 6 – GNOME Extensions
Page 7 – Install BleachBit
Page 8 – Night Light and Summary


All articles in this series:

Linux For Starters: Your Guide to Linux
1What is Linux? Why use Linux? What do I need?
2Choose a Linux distribution meeting your specific needs and requirements.
3Make a bootable Ubuntu USB stick in Windows.
4We show you how to install Ubuntu 21.04 on your hard disk.
5Things to do after installing Ubuntu.
6Navigating your way around the Desktop.
7Updating the system, install new software.
8Open source replacements for proprietary Windows desktop software.
9Get started with the power and flexibility of the terminal.
10We cover the basics of files and permissions.
11Getting help from your system.
12Learn all about the file system.
13Manipulating files from the shell.
14Maintain your system with these simple tips.
15Managing users on your system.
16Explore different desktops to GNOME 3.
17Gaming on Linux.
18Protect your privacy with this guide.
19Access the Windows desktop from Linux using a remote desktop client.
20Set up a virtual machine running Ubuntu as the host and openSUSE as the guest.
21Wine lets you run Windows programs on Linux without emulation.
22Extend your GNOME desktop with extensions and themes.
XUseful Linux commands.
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Gremlin
Gremlin
3 years ago

Why only cover Ubuntu?

Jon
Jon
3 years ago
Reply to  Gremlin

From independent surveys Ubuntu is the most popular Linux distro. Ignore the charts you see on some web sites that often have fairly obscure distros top. Their fanboys just vote them up using bots, partly because they are very passionate about them.

Interestingly, Linus Torvalds (the creator of the Linux kernel) has never even tried Ubuntu.

Craig
Craig
3 years ago

What about the command line? Newcomers shouldn’t only use GUIs in my opinion.

Nico
Nico
3 years ago

How about what to do when app doesnt have a package?

James
James
3 years ago

How about as a Linux user you whine, cry and criticize ever tutorial and article ever printed? It really gets old. I use Linux, I use Ubuntu, I use other OS’s. I appreciate people with the skill and knowledge to write tutorials and articles that can help others. No article can cover ‘everything Linux”. Thank you Steve.