Ubuntu Restricted Extras is a

software package Software package may refer to: * Package (package management system), in which individual files or resources are packed together as a software collection that provides certain functionality as part of a larger system * Software suite, which provid ...

for the computer

operating system An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common daemon (computing), services for computer programs. Time-sharing operating systems scheduler (computing), schedule tasks for ef ...

Ubuntu Ubuntu ( ) is a Linux distribution based on Debian and composed mostly of free and open-source software. Ubuntu is officially released in three editions: '' Desktop'', '' Server'', and ''Core'' for Internet of things devices and robots. All th ...

that allows the user to install essential software which is not already included due to legal or copyright reasons. It is a meta-package that installs: *Support for

MP3 MP3 (formally MPEG-1 Audio Layer III or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III) is a coding format for digital audio developed largely by the Fraunhofer Society in Germany, with support from other digital scientists in the United States and elsewhere. Orig ...

and unencrypted

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...

playback * Microsoft TrueType core fonts * Adobe Flash plugin *

codec A codec is a device or computer program that encodes or decodes a data stream or signal. ''Codec'' is a portmanteau of coder/decoder. In electronic communications, an endec is a device that acts as both an encoder and a decoder on a signal or ...

s for common audio and video files

Background

The software in this package is not included in Ubuntu by default because Ubuntu maintainers want to include only completely

free software Free software or libre software is computer software distributed under terms that allow users to run the software for any purpose as well as to study, change, and distribute it and any adapted versions. Free software is a matter of liberty, ...

in out-of-the-box installations. The software in this package may be closed-source, encumbered by software patents, or otherwise restricted. For example, the Adobe Flash plugin is a closed-source piece of software. Additionally, many multimedia formats such as

and H.264 are patented. In countries where these patents apply, legally distributing software that use these formats may require paying licensing fees to the patent owners.

The Ubuntu Restricted Extras is a metapackage and has the following dependencies:Package: ubuntu-restricted-extras in Maverick Meerkat
/ref> * flashplugin-installer * gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg * gstreamer0.10-fluendo-mp3 * gstreamer0.10-pitfdll * gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad * gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly * gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse * gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse * icedtea6-plugin * libavcodec-extra-52 * libmp4v2-0 * ttf-mscorefonts-installer * unrar Starting with Ubuntu 10.10, several of these dependencies are included indirectly via another meta-package ''ubuntu-restricted-addons'' which is included by default.

Inclusion

Due to the legal status of the software included in Ubuntu Restricted Extras, the package is not included by default on any Ubuntu CDs.Ubuntu repositories and ISO inclusion
/ref> However, some distributions, such as Super OS,

Pinguy OS Pinguy OS is a discontinued free Linux distribution for x86-based PCs, based on Ubuntu. General info Pinguy OS is an Ubuntu-based distribution with many applications and tweaks installed by default. Such software includes ZRam and Preloa ...

and Revamplinux do bundle the package on their installation CDs or DVDs. For a listing of the formats offered via this repository, follow the link at the end of this paragraph to help/ubuntu.com, Ubuntu's official online wiki. Note that the above statement DOES NOT imply that the software is pirated or in any way illegal to download. Furthermore, it doesn't imply that Canonical is somehow breaking the law by offering the software. In fact, the _restricted_ repository exists for the sole purpose of making it easier to follow the law in the event that the software becomes unusable in its current form. That is what is meant by "Due to the legal status...". for an explanation of this concept, see this source.

References

Linux package management-related software Ubuntu {{Install-software-stub

Background

Contents

Inclusion

See also

References