PPA‘s (Personal Package Archives) are a great way to automatically stay up-to-date with your favourite applications and packages.Below are my top ten recommendations for Ubuntu users.
Some are development PPA’s meaning you get the latest features first but there may be the odd bug or two.I’m sure you have your own list so why not share your tips in the comments!
How to add a PPA in Ubuntu
To add an PPA, open up Software Sources (System > Admin > Software Sources and choose the Third Party Sources tab)
In Karmic this tab is renamed "Other Software"
How to add a GPG key in Ubuntu
In Karmic, key’s are automatically received when you add the PPA.In prior versions you need to manually add them.To add a GPG signing key we’ll use a simple terminal command: –
- sudo apt-key adv –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv-keys key-number-goes-here
All you need to do is paste the the command from the PPA below into a terminal, hit enter/return and et voila!
Get Them Automatically!
If you installed a PPA previously and are being harassed by authentication errors because you never added it’s signing key, use this script to automatically grab GPG keys.
If you really want to be lazy you can just add the PPA’s listed below and then run the script to grab the GPG keys automatically.Let’s go!
Chromium Daily | Web Browser
The PPA is updated daily and contains both 32bit and native 64bit versions.
Karmic PPA: ppa:chromium-daily/ppa
Jaunty/Intrepid/Hardy PPA:
- deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/chromium-daily/ppa/ubuntu YOUR_UBUNTU_VERSION_HERE main
- deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/chromium-daily/ppa/ubuntu YOUR_UBUNTU_VERSION_HERE main
GPG: sudo apt-key adv –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv-keys 4E5E17B5
Epiphany | Web Browser
The Epiphany-extensions package comes with a set of popular extensions for the browser including adblock.The Epiphany PPA requires the webkit PPA to also be installed.
Karmic PPA: ppa:webkit-team/epiphany
Jaunty/Etc PPA:
- deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/webkit-team/epiphany/ubuntu karmic main
- deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/webkit-team/epiphany/ubuntu karmic main
GPG: sudo apt-key adv –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv-keys 2D9A3C5B
Webkit PPA:
Karmic PPA: ppa:webkit-teamJaunty/Etc PPA:
- deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/webkit-team/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
- deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/webkit-team/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
GPG: sudo apt-key adv –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv-keys 2D9A3C5B
Banshee | Music Player
Karmic PPA: ppa:banshee-team/ppa
Jaunty-to-Gutsy PPA:
- deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/banshee-team/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
- deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/banshee-team/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
GPG: sudo apt-key adv –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv-keys 6E80C6B7
Banshee Daily Builds
If you’re impatient for the latest features and fixes you can add the Banshee Daily PPA alongside the stable PPA. This updates Banshee everyday with the latest bug squashes, features and, of course, new bugs for you to enjoy.
Karmic PPA: ppa:banshee-team/banshee-daily
Jaunty/Etc:
- deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/banshee-team/banshee-daily/ubuntu karmic main
- deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/banshee-team/banshee-daily/ubuntu karmic main
GPG: sudo apt-key adv –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv-keys 6E80C6B7
Pidgin | Instant Messenger
Jaunty – Hardy PPA (Replace ‘kamic’ with your version name, e.g. hardy):
- deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/pidgin-developers/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
- deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/pidgin-developers/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
GPG: sudo apt-key adv –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv-keys A1F196A8
- deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/bjfs/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
- deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/bjfs/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
GPG: sudo apt-key adv –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv-keys E2314809
Gimp Testing | Image Editor
- deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/matthaeus123/mrw-gimp-svn/ubuntu jaunty main
- deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/matthaeus123/mrw-gimp-svn/ubuntu jaunty main
GPG: sudo apt-key adv –recv-keys –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 405A15CB
Official Google Repositories | Miscellaneous
- deb http://dl.google.com/linux/deb/ stable non-free
- deb http://dl.google.com/linux/deb/ testing non-free
GPG: Needs to be added manually. Download the key from here.
OpenShot | Video Editor
- deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/openshot.developers/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
- deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/openshot.developers/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
GPG: sudo apt-key adv –recv-keys –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com B9BA26FA
Empathy Development | Instant Messenger
Karmic PPA: ppa:telepathy/ppa
Jaunty – Hardy PPA (Replace ‘jaunty’ with hardy or intrepid, etc):
- deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/telepathy/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
- deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/telepathy/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
GPG: sudo apt-key adv –recv-keys –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com FA3A1271
Thanks to reader for suggesting I write a post on PPA’s.
If you think there is something i should write about let me know in the comments or via joeysneddon at gmail dot com.