Is there a graphical way to add the codecs? The rpm-fusion site shows graphical ways for Fedora, but not for other OS. and it only shows the CLI code for Silverblue. Will that work for Kionite as well?
So far my browsers and VLC (all flatpack) didn’t need extra codecs since the flatpack seems to bring what is needed. But maybe my use case was just lucky and some apps will require the codecs?
Is adding codecs actually still required assuming a user installs flatpacks?
In Fedora 43, the Nvidia/rpm repositories were already in Discover, one just had to check them checkmark.
I want to use Kionite for total beginners and this codec issue requiring extra steps has always been a reason to not recommend Fedora et al to beginners. Is this basically resolved with flatpacks?
So there is no GUI option like for Fedora?
I want to provide users a “no terminal” experience.
And are the codecs even needed with flatpacks? It is my understanding, the flatpack (like browser or VLC in my case) bring their own dependencies and wonder if that always includes codecs? Just because I so far got by without those rpm codecs, doesn’t mean everyone will.
But not in the Fedora Registry … by the way when we are talking about RPM Fusion and Copr, we are talking about alternatives which we not included in Fedora by default. Otherwise we would not have to talk about it!
Fedora shows me over dozen repos with NVIDIA, codecs etc. Kionite, nothing.
That isn’t a complete explanation, is it? Most other distros include codecs.
I know, here we have to pretend we don’t drink beer and if we put the can in a sleeve, no one will complain, even if everyone knows it is beer.
Yes, flatpaks like browsers, Videoplayers like VLC and possibly mp3 or other video player. It is my understanding in Kinoite I would mostly use flatpaks. and my hope is they all come with codecs. Or am I wrong and there could be media files that won’t be supported and then need the rpm-fusion codecs?
Or would I use apps that are not flatpack? I assume there is aa reason those codec terminal commands exist?
I think Kinoite is really great for normal users and beginners. But I want to be sure they don’t end up having to google around, then enter commands, and wonder if the commands did anything good or bad.
Flatpaks from Flathub should come with the necessary codecs.
The main use case for installing the codecs from rpm-ostree is probably when using a non-Flatpak browser - either the included Firefox, or another browser that you layer in. (Flatpak browsers come with some security tradeoffs, in terms of the weakening of the browser’s internal sandboxing between its different processes - you can read more about that if you want.)
I think for a normal user (someone just using this like a Chromebook and using Libre office etc.) flatpak would be the only option. My use case is to give this to a noob who doesn’t care about messing with Linux. Hence using Kionite.
I think once a user is starting to layer stuff, they are not a noob anymore and also should be able to deal with the codecs as needed.
Sounds like I was over-thinking this and didn’t need to worry. Thanks to everyone who chimed in.
