12 Applications You Must Install After Installing Ubuntu

Most of the people start learning computer using windows and later switch to Linux. Ubuntu is the most widely used Linux operating system. Recently Ubuntu released the much awaited Ubuntu 13.04 raring ringtail.

If you are switching to Ubuntu for the first time you will get confused about the applications they must install for better Ubuntu experience. Some of the best applications comes along with Ubuntu such as libreoffice it self and few need to be installed from the Ubuntu software center.

Google Chrome Browser

Google chrome is the best, super fast web browser available in the market today with advanced inbuilt security features.

VLC Media Player

VLC media player is an Open source media player for Linux and also among the best alternatives for windows media player. It comes with the codec that supports almost all types of media formats. It is not just only a media player but also works as an encoder, streamer and also highly recommended for Ubuntu users.

GIMP Image Editor

GIMP is a free and open source application for Linux mainly used for editing graphics in Linux. GIMP can accomplish essential image editing tasks such as resizing, editing, and cropping photos, photo montages combining multiple images, and converting between different image formats. It is the main alternative for popular Graphics editor Adobe Photoshop.You can isntall GIMP from the terminal itself.

sudo apt-get install gimp

Cheese

Cheese is an application for Ubuntu to take pictures and record videos from your web cam. It also provides the graphical effects to your capture in order to please the user’s play instinct.

Restricted codecs

If you did not choose the option to install codecs while installing Ubuntu, you’ll have a number of troubles playing music and videos. You won’t be able to play MP3, AVI, MP4 and many other file formats along with Java and Flash etc. Ubuntu doesn’t include these codecs by default in its release because of legal constraint in many countries. But if you install these codecs on your own, it is you who would be held responsible for the usage and not Ubuntu. Don’t worry, its quite safe to use them.

You can install it by using the following command:

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extrasCairo Dock

Skype

Skype is another popular Peer to peer  voip application and used by millions of users worldwide. You can get it easily from the Ubuntu software center.

Adobe Flash plugin

Adobe flash plugin is required by some websites to show their content and you can install it from the terminal.

sudo apt-get install flashplugin-installer

Install Weather applet

A nice little applet that will make you aware of the weather condition from the top panel. Install it in following manner:

sudo apt-get install indicator-weather

Dropbox

Though Ubuntu comes with its own cloud service,Ubuntu One, I still use Dropbox as my main cloud storage. It is certainly among the first few things that I install in a new operating system. Dropbox is a free service that lets you sync all your photos,docs,videos anywhere in the world.

sudo apt-get install dropbox

Pidgin Internet Messenger

Pidgin is a graphical, modular instant messaging client for Linux. It allows users to chat over multiple protocols like Msn, Yahoo, Gmail and more accounts at once. The application window gets minimized and the icon appears at the system tray. So when a new message arrives, you will be notified with the icon blink.

Ubuntu Tweak

Ubuntu Tweak is one of my favorite for Ubuntu. It makes using Ubuntu easier for the new comers as well as enthusiasts. It provides many useful desktop and system options that the default desktop environment doesn’t provide.

Wine

When people switch to Linux from windows they got lots of problems using the Linux applications and dream about using the Windows application on Ubuntu Linux. Wine is all that application that helps running Windows application on Linux. Wine is not an Emulator but a Compatibility Layer providing alternative implementations of the DLLs that Windows programs call and make the program run.

Advanced desktop effects settings (CCSM)

Advanced desktop effects settings is the open compositing project that bring virtual 3D effects to your system that improves the usability of the X windows system and provide increased productivity.

After you install the application you can enhance your graphics abilities also you can add some extra effects to your desktop.