i have been using the ubuntu minimal install iso lately for fresh ubuntu installs. for a few reasons really:

• smaller, more lightweight install
• completely customizable – no bloatware (you can even manually select each package)
• the resulting install is more tailored to the machine

so, after installing, there really isn’t much. so here is a list of things that are a good idea to install and configure. first, open up the ubuntu software center then go to edit and then select software sources. make sure both canonical and independent entries are checked before proceeding.

after following all these steps, you will have all the programs and libraries to watch dvd’s, play music, etc. you will also have all the latest office software and plugins (including google web office), graphics viewing and design programs, as well as pdf tools.

not all these steps are necessary – you can pick and choose what you want to install – i know i am missing some other programs and applications and i will add them later on.

this is for a 32 bit install of ubuntu!!
 

# first – update the system – the minimal install is usually up-to-date as it pulls all the software from current repo’s. better safe than sorry

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
 

# adobe flash player

sudo apt-get install flashplugin-installer gsfonts-x11
 

# adding medibuntu – “medibutnu is a repository of packages that cannot be included into the ubuntu distribution for legal reasons (copyright, license, patent, etc).” – see the link for more details. medibuntu is also deactivated when you upgrade to a newer ubuntu release – so you will need to run this again after a release upgrade.

sudo wget --output-document=/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/$(lsb_release -cs).list && sudo apt-get --quiet update && sudo apt-get --yes --quiet --allow-unauthenticated install medibuntu-keyring && sudo apt-get --quiet update
sudo apt-get --yes install app-install-data-medibuntu apport-hooks-medibuntu
# after installing medibuntu install the following – these are open source software for accessing and unscrambling some encrypted dvds
sudo apt-get install w32codecs libdvdcss2
sudo apt-get install libdvdnav4
sudo apt-get install libdvdread4
sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/./install-css.sh
 

# tools for compiling software from source

sudo apt-get install build-essential checkinstall cdbs devscripts dh-make fakeroot libxml-parser-perl check avahi-daemon
 

# multimedia – vlc, mplayer, etc – vlc is a highly portable multimedia player and framework it can read most audio, video, cds, dvds and allows streaming. mplayer (with smplayer – the front-end gui) is an awesome choice for watching dvd movies, etc, it will remember your place and settings for each movie.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:videolan/stable-daily
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install vlc mplayer smplayer
 

# ffmpeg – a complete and free internet live audio and video broadcasting solution for *nix based systems

sudo apt-get install libxine1-ffmpeg gxine mencoder mpeg2dec vorbis-tools id3v2 mpg321 mpg123 libflac++6 ffmpeg totem-mozilla icedax tagtool easytag id3tool lame nautilus-script-audio-convert libmad0 libjpeg-progs flac faac faad sox ffmpeg2theora libmpeg2-4 uudeview flac libmpeg3-1 mpeg3-utils mpegdemux liba52-0.7.4-dev libquicktime2
 

# java – this provides the libraries, java vm and other components – you can go here to test if java is installed

sudo apt-get install openjdk-7-jre icedtea-7-plugin
 

# google chrome

wget -q -O - https://dl-ssl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub | sudo apt-key add -
sudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google.list'
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install google-chrome-stable
 

# gedit – an amazing text editor. when in the gui this is the one i primarily use

sudo apt-get install gedit gedit-plugins gedit-developer-plugins
 

# libre office (open office) with pdf import and mozilla office plugin

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:libreoffice/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install libreoffice libreoffice-java-common libreoffice-math libreoffice-gnome libreoffice-java-common
sudo apt-get install libreoffice-pdfimport
sudo apt-get install mozilla-libreoffice
 

# gwoffice (google web office) – i have not used this yet, however, i will have a post about it in the near future

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tombeckmann/ppa
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install gwoffice
 

# remove gimp and update repo, install new version, install extras and gimp paint studio

sudo apt-get --purge remove gimp*
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:otto-kesselgulasch/gimp
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install gimp gimp-data gimp-data-extras
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:shnatsel/gimp-paint-studio
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install gimp-paint-studio

# ms visio equivalent – dia

sudo apt-get install dia
 

# calibre – and ebook reader and converter – it can convert several formats to epub for your kindle or phone

sudo apt-get install calibre
 

# htop – a task manager for the command line

sudo apt-get install htop
 

# draftsight – an open source cad product that allows users to create, edit and view dwg files
# install the packages below

sudo apt-get install libxcb-render-util0
sudo apt-get install libdirectfb-extra
# download the install file from 3ds here
 

well thats it for now, i will add more to this and update it periodically.