Linux distro with flash/codecs installed...

[f1sh3r]

Im setting up a computer for my sisters kids (all under 8), and they are just going to use it to get online. They play flash games online and what not. Are there any distros that come prepackaged with all of the needed codecs and plugins to browse the web problem free?

right now its ubuntu with automatix. just wondering if there are alternatives. thanks.

[Brazen]

I wouldn't use Automatix. Automatix breaks some things that can wreak havoc when performing upgrades. Read the Ubuntu documentation. Installing things like flash and java are pretty simple. If Ubuntu's official documentation doesn't make is simple enough, you could try http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu:Feisty which will also tell you how to install such things without breaking things the way Automatix does.

[DarkThinker]

You can use any fedora core 6 with this the Stanton Finley guide, it will work for 6 and even possibly for 7 too, though I haven't tested 7 as it won't be available to the general masses till May 24th which will be a glorious day BTW .

I think all that you will need is instructions on how to install the java, Flash, libraries / plugins and install that huge codecs package that provides Mplayer and Mplayer-plugin with the capability to play almost all video and audio formats out there you can install also gstreamer 's plugins ugly / bad so that you can do the same thing with applications like Totem and Xine.

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: DarkThinker

...you can install also gstreamer 's plugins ugly / bad so that you can do the same thing with applications like Totem and Xine.

Just FYI, xine does NOT use gstreamer.

[drag]

My suggestion is to not bother with automated scripts and other such junk. Learn to install that stuff yourself, it's not difficult and it's worth knowing.

Also it's very very very important that you know enough to keep your system up to date and secure.


All that being said the distribution which matches what your talking about is Linspire. Linspire is a distribution that purposely supports things that other distributions won't touch for legal or moral reasons.

Their stated goal is to be the AOL of Linux.
http://www.linspire.com/

It's Debian-based, like Ubuntu. They are Ubuntu-based now, which is essentially the same thing. They are working with Ubuntu to provide their click'n'run interface for Ubuntu.

Basicly it's another apt-get front-end like Synaptic package GUI. But it has (optional) subscription services for propriatory codecs, applications, and games as well as a rating systems, screenshots, and other such stuff.

[htne]

http://linuxmint.com

Linux Mint is an Ubuntu-based distribution whose goal is to provide a more complete out-of-the-box experience by including browser plugins, media codecs, support for DVD playback, Java and other components. It is compatible with Ubuntu software repositories.

[osage]

what htne said.

Mint is a nice distro, works right out of the box

[Theb]

Mepis comes with Flash, Real, and Java.