Solution To The Flash Problem In Flock Browser

Flock, the 'social browser' has a peculiar bug. Inspite of Ubuntu having flash plugins installed, it doesnt play any flash stuff. Hence for most of us, watching YouTube videos on Flock is an impossibility.

Here's the solution:

First up, you need to make sure you have flash actually installed. For that, type the following in the Terminal:

sudo apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree

Next, type the following in the Terminal:

sudo ln /usr/lib/flashplugin-installer/libflashplayer.so /usr/share/flock/plugins/libflashplayer.so

Thats it. Restart the Flock browser and enjoy watching those flash videos.

(Also consult these posts on Explore Ubuntu: Flash for 64 bit and Ultimate Flash Fix for Ubuntu)

Useful Google Chrome extensions

Now that Google Chrome is available for Linux, there is an enormous misconception about Chrome extensions (or rather the lack of it). I will list here some of the very useful extensions, which are exceptional and perhaps indispensable when it comes to a proper Chrome experience.

1. Ad Block - "AdBlock for Chrome! Blocks ads all over the web." And very rightly so. It even blocks facebook ads! Personally, this is my favourite extension.

2. RSS Subscription Extension (by Google) - Adds one-click subscription to your toolbar. Does exactly that. Brilliant extension, cant live without this.

3. Shareaholic for Google Chrome - This is the same old famous shareaholic that we all fell in love with back in the Firefox days. Except, shareaholic for Chrome is only better! It has all the standard options, plus it also has a 'live' bit.ly URL shortener. So basically, you dont have to visit bit.ly everytime you need a shorter URL. Saves time. Efficient. Superb extension.

4. SmoothScroll - Scrolls the websites smoothly when scrolling with the mouse wheel or the keyboard. This will change your experience of browsing the web. If you havent used SmoothScroll earlier, try it out. Its beautiful.

5. Stop Autoplay for YouTube - Autoplay can sometimes get very annoying. This extension stops autoplay on YouTube and lets the video buffer before you press the play button. Great extension.


(If you havent installed Google Chrome for Linux, this is an earlier post explaining in very simple words the entire process of installation: How to Install Google Chrome)

YouTube Auto Buffer for Google Chrome

YouTube Auto Buffer & Auto HD & Remove Ads (originally developed by JoeSimmons) is if course a very popular greasemonkey script for firefox. It does exactly what the name suggests, autobuffers youtube videos, removes ads and helps you select the default resolution for all. The problem which was there earlier was the fact that this script was unavailable for google chrome.

However I learnt today that a really awesome developer sizzlemctwizzle has come up with the perfect solution. There's no need to install greasemonkey if you are on google chrome. Just install the script. The script is on this page but for your benefit here's the direct download link. Just click on this link and it will be installed.

Of course if you are using firefox, first install greasemonkey from here and then install the script from the userscripts page.

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UPDATE: There is now an official extension for Google Chrome in its Extensions page which autobuffers YouTube videos (unrelated to the Greasemonkey script mentioned above). Its called Stop Autoplay for YouTube. Although this doesnt select HD as the default resolution, I think this extension will come in pretty handy for those who have a slow internet connection.

Link: Google Chrome Extensions Page

Desktube...YouTube on your desktop

How many times have you wished there was a youtube app for the desktop? Well, from the looks of it, this has been the demand of users for a very long time. Only now has it been realised in the form of Desktube. Mind you, its not open source. However the development team behind this Adobe AIR app is quite active and even take the pains to send you personalised emails if you report a bug.

Its quite revolutionary in the sense that there's absolutely no other software which can do what it does, i.e help you watch youtube videos on a desktop app. Now I hope other companies spot the potential here and jump on this highly lucrative boat.

Anyway, the thing is this is quite a useful app, has loads of customisation options, lets you comment, add videos to your playlist etc. And the best part is that it even has twitter and facebook integration, so basically, in the long run and with some development, it could turn out to be a twitter and facebook client as well as a youtube viewer. Sounds good?

Well what are you waiting for? Give it a try.

Here's the link: Desktube