Install Real Player with ease on Ubuntu 7.10

[dfwjacker]

So, you are running the latest and greatest Ubuntu and have all the media codecs you could possibly want. Except, of course, for those pesky Real Player codecs.

For reasons unbeknownst to me, Real Player is not in any of Ubuntu 7.10's repositories. That means if you want to install it, you must download the Real Player for Linux binary from real.com and install it using Real's installation method. Installing via that method means that you'll have to manually uninstall it if you ever want to remove Real Player. Never fear though... There is an easier way to install it via Ubuntu's fantastic package manager.

1. First you must download a deb from the debian-multimedia repositories which is compatible with Gutsy. There is no need to add the repository to your sources, simply download the package directly from here: http://www.debian-multimedia.org/pool/main/r/realplay/realplayer_10.0.8-0.1_i386.deb

2. Next, just click on the deb and the package manager will allow you to install it with a click of a button.

3. If you are using compiz- fusion, open RealPlayer and go to Tools>Preferences>Hardware and uncheck the "Use XVideo" option.

That's it! Real Player is now easy to remove/upgrade if you ever need to do so.

 

[looseliam]

The installed deb packages will show up in the synaptic manager for easy removal.

And let's not forget alien for those bloody rpm packages.

 

[justgofaster]

Thanks a lot, dfwjacker. I'm learning a lot about ubuntu and I appreciate the help.

I've heard that Real Player in Linux works better than it does in Windows (doesn't try to take over control of everything).


Slightly off topic: Do you know anything about "Click 'n Run"? I've heard ubuntu users can download software from CNR but I don;'t know how you do that with the package manager or however. Would that be a good place to find software?

Thanks.

 

[dfwjacker]

That's a brilliant link thank you. I love deb packages - soo much easier.

I have my laptop dual booting with the new Ubuntu and Vista (yes I've been very quiet about it but that was only cos I'm back in college and I'm busy) - do you have any webcam apps you can recommend? Ubuntu has installed the cam okay but I can't find an app to use it with - at least an app that doesn't want me to run all kinds of sudo terminal commands and create packages etc.

I don't really cam much, in fact my webcam is old and obsolete. But, it does work with Ubuntu after I loaded the appropriate module.

I've heard of many people using Ekiga which of course is installed by default, but personally about the only webcam software I use is Cheese which is similar to Photobooth. It's good for talking snapshots and video. You can find it along with a lot of other apps at getdeb.net, though you'll have to use the Feisty version (which works fine on gutsy). As of yet, there isn't a Gusty version available getdeb. Either that or you can compile your own package from source.

 

[dfwjacker]

Thanks a lot, dfwjacker. I'm learning a lot about ubuntu and I appreciate the help.

I've heard that Real Player in Linux works better than it does in Windows (doesn't try to take over control of everything).


Slightly off topic: Do you know anything about "Click 'n Run"? I've heard ubuntu users can download software from CNR but I don;'t know how you do that with the package manager or however. Would that be a good place to find software?

Thanks.

Well, Linpire executives have talked real big about providing click and run to the community, but I have yet to see anything that matches their marketing hype and I'm not going to hold my breath.

Novell has started a build service that does offer downloads of different package formats including ubuntu debs but it doesn't yet support Gutsy. You can check it out here: https://build.opensuse.org/

Aside from that you might want to checkout/contribute to getdeb.net which offers many debs not available in the official repositories.

I forgot to mention Klik http://klik.atekon.de/ which allows you to run software without installing it the way we are accustomed to installing software. It works similar to the way installing application on a Mac does in that each application occupies one file/folder. It's an interesting way of handling installation, but it also has its drawbacks and can't be used for some applications.

 

[looseliam]

I kinda liked the whole one app one dir philosophy. Made trading apps a lot easier back in the dos days.

 

[dfwjacker]

I kinda liked the whole one app one dir philosophy. Made trading apps a lot easier back in the dos days.

I do like the idea... I would like to see a successful Linux distribution built completely around this idea while addressing the the problems this introduces with updating the system and libraries, etc...

I know that GoboLinux http://www.gobolinux.org/ has made a big effort in that direction including simplifying the Linux file system, unfortunately they have remained bellow the radar and have a very small user base.