This is the post installation software configuration guide for Fedora 18. For installation of Fedora 18, please refer to Fedora 18 Installation Guide.
System Update
After installation of Fedora 18, the first thing you need to do is to update the system.
You can perform system update by going to Show Applications >> Software. The "Show Applications" icon is the last icon on your favorites bar.
Once the "Software" application is open. Click "Software" on the top menu bar and select "Check for updates".
Alternatively, you could perform system update using the command:
You need to reboot the operating system if you have installed a new kernel.
Software Installation
Some of the essential software applications were preloaded with Fedora such as Libra Office and Firefox. To install new software application, navigate to Show Applications >> Software. Enter the software package you desire and this utility will search through the software repository for the application you want. You have the option to download and install it.
Alternatively, you can also use command line to install the software packages. First you need to download the software which is an rpm file. To install the software use the command:
sudo rpm –ivh <name_of_software_package>.rpm
Beside the command rpm, you can also use yum to install software. This application installation utility will automatically search for all the dependencies files and software while installing the application you desire. You don’t need to download the software first. To use yum, type in the command
sudo yum install <name_of_software_package>
To find out details about the software packages use the command:
sudo yum info <keyword_or_software_packages>
You can also perform group install using
sudo yum groupinstall <group_software_name>
For command line installation, it is recommended to use yum utility instead of rpm utility. You will resort to use rpm utility when the software you required is not in any of the software repository.
Adding Software Repository
While yum utility automatically connects to the official mirror sites of Fedora to search and retrieve latest software packages, you might want to add additional repositories that provide additional software. Two additional sites are recommended, they are rpmfusion.org and livna.org. Both sites provide additional software relating to media playing, such as playing DvD disc on Fedora.
The command to add repository from rpmfusion are as follows:
sudo yum localinstall --nogpgcheck http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-18.noarch.rpm
sudo yum localinstall --nogpgcheck http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-18.noarch.rpm
The command to add repository from livna.org are as follows:
sudo rpm -ivh http://rpm.livna.org/livna-release.rpm
sudo rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-livna
Listed below is some of the software which we recommend:
Web Browsing
Firefox is preloaded with Fedora but you need to install additional plug-ins and Adobe Flash Player.
If you prefer Google Chrome, please check my post:
Please refer to my other post regarding Adobe Flash Player. Check out:
Productivity Suite
Libre Office is preloaded in Fedora, no action is required.
Utilities
There are some useful utilities such as:
wget is a utility that allows you to download http files from the web using command line. This is a useful tool for automating download.
Gparted is a utility that manages disk partition. You can resize your disk partition on the fly. To install this software:
sudo yum install -y gparted
For viewing chm files use xchm or kchmviewer. Use one of the following command:
sudo yum install -y xchm
sudo yum install -y kchmviewer
Unrar is a utility to unpack rar compressed folders. Use the command:
sudo yum install -y unrar
GCC is GNU C/C++ compiler. Kernel-devel is the kernel headers required to compile kernel files. Both files are required to rebuilt kernel or install drivers.
sudo yum install -y gcc kernel-devel
Gthumb is a small image editor.
sudo yum install -y gthumb
PDF Document
Fedora has default PDF reader and writer so no installation is required. For Firefox, select Print >> Print to File, make sure you specify the document type as PDF and also specify the filename and location of the file. For LibreOffice, use ‘Export to PDF’ function.
You will need a PDF writer if you intend to use it on any other application that do not have print to PDF or export to PDF capabilities. In this case, you need to install cups-pdf. Use the command:
sudo yum install -y cups-pdf
PDF writer usually tie to the print function. You just need to use the print function and select PDF writer as the printer.
Playing Multimedia Files
To play the most common multimedia formats, including mp3, mpeg and wmv file, you need to install additional codec. We would recommend VLC Media Player because it provides many codec together with a player.
Installing VLC Media Player, use the command:
To set VLC as the default player, click your "username" on the top right corner. Select "System Setting". Select "Details" on the last row. Select "Default Applications". Under "Video" select VLC as your default application.
Installing DvD Playing Applications
Playing DVD is more complicated because it involves restricted format. In addition to media player, you need to install CSS Packages.
To check your region setting you need the package “regionset”.
sudo yum install -y regionset
After installation, use the command $regionset. Your region setting will be shown.
To install the CSS packages use the command:
sudo yum install -y libdvdcss
DVD Ripping
In the event you need to backup your DVD; you can install various DVD ripper. In this section we will install k9copy. Use the command:
sudo yum install -y k9copy
Please search the web on how to use k9copy.
Additional Applications
For additional applications, please check my other post:
Automation Script (For Advanced User)
After downloading the script, please read the script carefully and hash (#) out any installation option or command that you do not want to use. Any command with a hash (#) in front will not be executed.
You need to change the permission to executable by using the command:
sudo chmod +x FC00-software-install-noarch
To run the script use the command:
sudo ./FC00-software-install-noarch
Alternatively, use the following command to pipe the installation log to a text file:
sudo ./FC00-software-install-noarch >> log.txt
For those with difficulties downloading the script, listed below is the full content of the script, you can copy and paste the script to a plain text file:
#! /bin/bash
# This software installation script is for Fedora 18
# You just need to hash out or remove any installation you don't want
# You can also add in additional software packages you like
#Updates
yum update -y yum
yum update -y
#Additional yum plugins
#yum install -y yum-plugin-fastestmirror
#Additional yum repository configuration for rpmfusion and livna
yum localinstall -y --nogpgcheck http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-18.noarch.rpm
yum localinstall -y --nogpgcheck http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-18.noarch.rpm
rpm -ivh http://rpm.livna.org/livna-release.rpm
rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-livna
yum update -y
#Installing Essential Utilities
yum install -y gparted
yum install -y xchm
yum install -y kchmviewer
yum install -y gcc kernel-devel
yum install -y unrar
yum install -y cups-pdf
yum install -y wget
yum install -y vim
yum install -y gthumb
#yum install -y beesu
#yum install -y nautilus-beesu-manager
# Download and install Google Software Public Signing Key
wget https://dl-ssl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub
sudo rpm --import linux_signing_key.pub
rm linux_signing_key.pub
#Installing Media Players, DVD codec and Ripper
yum install -y vlc
yum install -y regionset libdvdcss
yum update -y
yum install -y k9copy
yum install -y xine xine-lib-extras xine-lib-extras-freeworld
#Installing Games
#yum install -y kdegames
#End message
echo "Installation Complete!"
***End***
