I don't know how to modify the installer image for a Linux distribution such as Ubuntu, but I expect others in the forum would know how.

I think what you want is to create an install DVD for Ubuntu that includes extra packages (video and audio format conversion, etc.) that aren't installed by the standard Ubuntu install CD.

If you know what you're doing, that should be fairly easy. Make a directory on a Linux system which is a copy of the contents of the install CD. Add and modify some files in that directory. Convert that directory to a bootable .iso file. Burn that to a DVD (or if you removed packages as well as adding, you might burn it to a CD).

What I just described could be slightly less of a change than what is typically called "remastering" a Linux distribution. But maybe the easiest way is to find and follow instructions for remastering.

As for finding the open source packages you want to use: While you have a good internet connection, install and boot Ubuntu, and use the package manager to install and test a variety of packages and see which ones you like.

If you know (by name) exactly what you want, it is not too hard to download packages to a Windows PC. Then it is not too hard to use the package manager on a Linux system to install a package from local media instead of from an online repository.

Video packages in Ubuntu's own repository are available here for easy download by non Linux systems:

http://packages.ubuntu.com/natty/video/

BUT you'll notice the descriptions are pretty lean, so you won't know which you want. Most packages aren't self contained. They have dependencies (other packages that must be installed for this package to be installed). Without a package manager, it is easy to make mistakes in tracking down dependencies. Ubuntu's own repositories hold only a fraction of the packages that you can install via Ubuntu's package manager. Other repositories may not make it as easy for a non Linux system to download packages.

So you really need to do a first round using a Linux system with a good internet connection, to find out what you'll need later on systems without good connection.

Hi snanders,
What people are trying to tell you is, don't use the term "freeware" in a linux context. "freeware" is a windows term. Linux software is free software. "free" means both free as in "beer" and free as in "speech". It doesn't cost anything and you can basically do what you want with it. You can also have access to the source code (hence the term open source). The term for linux software units is "package". Packages may be complete programs or essential parts of many other packages. You can down load packages onto your windows machine and then send them to Africa (or anywhere else). Where you get the packages depends on what distro you are using. You can look at Debian packages here. http://www.debian.org/distrib/packages.
To give one example you can search for the k3b package. Here's a description.
You can download the package in the form of a deb file from this site. You will note that each packages comes with a number of dependencies, other packages that are needed in order for the package to work. For example:
Other Packages Related to k3b
Ciao,
jdk

AFAIK "freeware" isn't a Windows term. It means software "free as in beer", but not "free as in speech".

But it is true that most software that costs nothing for Windows is freeware, and that most software that costs nothing for Linux is Free Software.

MTK358 wrote:
-- Do you still not understand the difference, and do you understand that almost all Linux software is Free Software, but not freeware? --


Yes I do know the difference, as I indicated in my previous posting.
But I assumed that - considering the philosophy behind Linux, there would be abundant freeware as well.
Or at least for the most obvious prgs such as I mentioned.
Am I to understand that this is not the case and that, while there is a ton of freeware for windows, this is not so for Linux??

Then why should people make the switch to Linux if not at least some of the free software is freeware??
Certainly for Africa cost is of the essence.


added:
I just read the posting of jdkaye.
Seems that 'freeware' is a forbidden windows word
Ok, from the above it is clear that where I speak of freeware it simply means free-of-cost software.

No, your comments here suggest that you don't understand the difference in any way at all.

How about you just move on and just don't say "freeware" again. all that matters to you is that you can do everything you want, without spending a penny on software.

What's wrong with Free Software, and why do you specifically want freeware? Free Software may of may not cost money. The vast majority doesn't, so it's not a problem. Plus, unlike freeware, the source code is available, and the license permits you to redistribute your modified version. This is the main philosophy behind Free Software, and most developers for Linux (which is Free Software) follow it.

Linux CDs come as a "Distribution" which means that most of the commonly used applications are included with the Linux kernel unlike Windows which gives you an OS, browser and Mail basically.
So if you've checked out Ubuntu you'll have found out that it comes with Office software, Graphic manipulation software, music software and DVD/CD ripper/copying and burning software without the need to look for anything else?
Use the Synaptic package manager under System>Administration (or Ubuntu Software manager for that matter) to find other applications as needed.
Is the Ubuntu from a live CD? That's a bootable CD which allows you to run the OS and applications in memory without disturbing the installed OS. Then, if it's OK and you're happy, you can click an icon to install to the hard drive. Note that loads of current Linux Distributions (Distros) come like this, you should be able to download them while in Holland and, if Ubuntu, use Brasero to burn the .iso image to CD, or do a CD to CD copy.

I think you need to use Linux for a while to see what it is before you try and help others, it'll be easier in the long run.

Play Bonny!

Hi snanders,
The term "freeware" isn't forbidden (at least not by me) but I've never heard or seen it used in a Linux context. It wouldn't really mean anything. Have you been in touch with the OLPC organisation? http://laptop.org/en/? The may have some useful ideas for you.
ciao,
jdk

This story looks exactly like that to me...

Splendid! The info that jdkaye gave me is just what I was looking for.
A site page with Linux software (which is in my view both free software and freeware) that I can simply download on a windows machine and then copy onto off line Linux machines in Africa.

Thanks all.


P.S. for TobiSGD
No, nowhere did I suggest that I planned to do something illegal.
How come this is in your mind?? ;-)
As for the African users, I neither confirm nor deny....
The main thing is to spread the blessing of Linux, right?

african children need charities to help them rip bluray??

A large part of this "blessing of Linux" is the fact that you are allowed to understand, modify, and redistribute it, something only possible with Free Software.

Certainly MTK358, but the reason I am not going into that is that matching open source with Africa -- at least the part I am going -- is an eh...combination that guarantees many surprises of the unthinkable kind...

???????

Using Linux distributions, there is generally no need to go looking for 'freeware'. All of the major distros include a huge array of software that is already known to the installer and configured for proper operation. For free, and without any searching, other than browsing with the distro-specific software installation tool. Really, except for very special cases, you can probably do anything you want without ever searching for anything on the internet. It is all already there. This is a completely different concept from a Windows installation (BTW, it is curious that you use Windows to propagate Linux).
The only real trick for your case is that most distros include only a database that is used by the installation tool, and installation requires software to be downloaded. However, some distros provide the capability to download everything at once, as ISO images that can be burned to disk, and distributed as physical media. These distros are the ones that a probably appropriate to your purpose.

And, please do grok the difference between the Windows freeware scheme, and the conceptually distinct Free Open Source Software embraced in the GNU/Linux community.
--- rod.