How to install Skype in Ubuntu

In this article we would install Skype on Ubuntu. Skype is the most popular communication software.
It was developed by Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu, and Jaan Tallinn, Danish Janus Friis, and Swedish Niklas Zennstrom. The Skype allows users to communicate with peers by voice using a microphone, video by using a webcam, and instant messaging over the Internet. Unlike most other VoIP services, Skype is a hybrid peer-to-peer and client–server system. It makes use of background processing on computers running Skype software. Skype's original proposed name (Sky Peer-to-Peer) reflects this fact.
With Skype phone calls may be placed to recipients on the traditional telephone networks. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free of charge, while calls to landline telephones and mobile phones are charged via a debit-based user account system.
Skype was bought by Microsoft in 2011.

You can install Skype in three ways.

• Ubuntu Software center
• Download Skype and install manually
• Install on command line

During the installation of Skype on Ubuntu you may get unmet dependencies error.
Unmet dependencies error while installing Skype from software center

Unmet dependencies error while installing Skype from downloaded package

Unmet dependencies error while installing Skype from command line

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
skype is already the newest version.
You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 skype : Depends: lib32stdc++6 (>= 4.1.1-21) but it is not going to be installed
         Depends: lib32asound2 (> 1.0.14) but it is not going to be installed
         Depends: ia32-libs but it is not going to be installed
         Depends: libc6-i386 (>= 2.7-1) but it is not going to be installed
         Depends: lib32gcc1 (>= 1:4.1.1-21+ia32.libs.1.19) but it is not going to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

How to resolve Skype Unmet dependencies error in Ubuntu

You may get above errors since Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx), Skype is part of the Canonical partner repository. So before you install Skype you need to add the Canonical Partner Repository. You can do this by running the following command in terminal.

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://archive.canonical.com/ $(lsb_release -sc) partner"

You need to authenticate this with super user password. Super user account is the user account which we create during the installation.

Run following command to update repository database.

sudo apt-get update

Now we can install Skype on Ubuntu from any of above methods.
Install Skype on Ubuntu from Ubuntu Software center

Open software center

Search for Skype in search box

Select Skype from list and Click on install

Authenticate this with super user password.

That's all we need to install Skype from software center.
Download Skype and install manually

You can always install Skype manually. Go on Skype official site and visit to download section. Direct link to download section is http://www.skype.com/en/download-skype/skype-for-computer/
Select Ubuntu

Save .deb file

Right click on downloaded file and select open with software center

Click on install when it ask.
Install on command line
To install Skype form command line run following command

sudo apt-get install skype

Confirm when it asks.

After successfully installing Skype it would return to command prompt back.

How to launch Skype in Ubuntu

To launch Skype click on Ubuntu button and search for Skype, Click on Skype icon from list

How to install VLC in Ubuntu

In this article we will install VLC player on Ubuntu 12.04. VLC is a open source project. VLC player can play most multimedia files as well as DVD, Audio CD, VCD, and various streaming protocol. VLC is absolutely free, it comes without any spyware, Ads or User Tracking code or malware. We can install VLC in two ways. Either form Ubuntu Software Center or command line.

Install VLC from Ubuntu Software Center.

Open Ubuntu Software center

Type VLC in search box and press enter

Select VLC from list and click on install.

Type your super user password. Super user is the user which we create during the installation.

Wow! We have installed VLC in three easy clicks. We recommended you to use always this method as long as possible.Because it would install VLC from official repository. But for some reason it fails you can use other PPA from command line.

Install VLC from command line.

Press ALT+CTRL+T to open the terminal. Run following command to add VLC repository.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:videolan/stable-daily

Run following command to update the repositories

sudo apt-get update

Run following command to install VLC

sudo apt-get install vlc

Confirm when it asks
If it returns without any error congratulation we have successfully installed VLC.
To launch VLC click on Ubuntu button and search for VLC. Click on VLC icon

For first time it would show privacy policy.

VLC player is ready to use.

In some circumstances we may get unmet dependency error for VLC.
From software center installation fails with following error

From command line installation fails with following error

Troubleshooting unmet dependency error for VLC

Open software center.

From edit click on software source

Under Ubuntu Software tab, enable all the repositories except source code and click on download from

Select other from download drop down

Now click on select best server

You need to authenticate this with super user password.

Ubuntu will perform several testing to select best server for your location.

Once Ubuntu select best server for you click on chose server

Now click on other software tab.
One of the most common causes of unmet dependencies is PPAs, especially when used to upgrade the existing package in Ubuntu repositories. Remove any entry if you found for VLC. And click on close.

That all setting we need to in software center.

Now press ALT + CTRL+T key combination to open the terminal and run following command

 sudo apt-get clean
 

This command would clears out the local repository of retrieved package files (the .deb files). It removes everything but the lock file from /var/cache/apt/archives/ and /var/cache/apt/archives/partial/. This is very helpful especially when you are facing unmet dependency errors.
Now run following command.

sudo apt-get -f install
 

The -f here stands for "fix broken". Apt will attempt to correct broken dependencies. If you manually installed a package that had unmet dependencies, apt-get will install those dependencies, if possible, otherwise it may simply remove the package that you installed in order to resolve the problem.

Now run following command

sudo apt-get update
 

This command would update the repository. Any change which you have made in software source from Ubuntu software center will also take place.
Now run following command

sudo apt-get upgrade
 

This command would update the Ubuntu. This will ensure that you will get the latest Ubuntu. During the upgrading process you need to confirm several actions.

After upgrading reboot the system.
After reboot try again to install VLC from command line method.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:videolan/stable-daily
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install vlc

If you still have issue submit your issue to official Ubuntu forum [http://askubuntu.com]

How to update Ubuntu 12.04

First thing you should do just after the installation is updating the Ubuntu. Ubuntu 12.04 is the LST version and would be supported until April 2017. If you have Ubuntu 12.04 freshly installed, very first thing after installation is to update all the repositories. This would save you from unmet dependency errors.
In this article we would update Ubuntu. Open software center.

From edit click on software source

Under Ubuntu Software tab, enable all the repositories except source code and click on download from

Select other from download drop down

Now click on select best server

You need to authenticate this with super user password. Super user account is the user account which we create during the installation.

Ubuntu will perform several testing to select best server for your location.

Once Ubuntu select best server for you click on chose server

Now click on other software tab. whenever you install any software via PPA it makes its entry here in this list.
PPAs (Personal Package Archive) are repositories. You can use PPAs to install or upgrade packages that are not available in the official Ubuntu repositories. One of the most common causes of unmet dependencies is PPAs, especially when used to upgrade the existing package in Ubuntu repositories. To solve the problem you have three options, disable, purge (revert back to original package in Ubuntu repositories) or remove PPA. All these options are available here.
If it is a fresh installation you will get only four options here. Enable canonical partners. And click on close.

That all setting we need to in software center.
Now press ALT + CTRL+T key combination to open the terminal and run following command

 sudo apt-get clean
 

This command would clears out the local repository of retrieved package files (the .deb files). It removes everything but the lock file from /var/cache/apt/archives/ and /var/cache/apt/archives/partial/. This is very helpful especially when you are facing unmet dependency errors.
Now run following command.

sudo apt-get -f install
 

The -f here stands for "fix broken". Apt will attempt to correct broken dependencies. If you manually installed a package that had unmet dependencies, apt-get will install those dependencies, if possible, otherwise it may simply remove the package that you installed in order to resolve the problem.

Now run following command

sudo apt-get update
 

This command would update the repository. Any change which you have made in software source from Ubuntu software center will also take place.
Now run following command

sudo apt-get upgrade
 

This command would update the Ubuntu. This will ensure that you will get the latest Ubuntu. On a fresh installation it is going to take a lot of times. During the upgrading process you need to confirm several actions.

After upgrading reboot the system.
After reboot you have latest Ubuntu. Check our other articles to explore Ubuntu.