FAQ

What is Kubuntu?

Kubuntu is the first Ubuntu derived distribution. Our Kubuntu CDs are made up of Ubuntu's base plus KDE. You can get exactly the same effect by installing Ubuntu and adding the KDE packages (and removing the Gnome packages) from the Ubuntu archives.

Is this a fork of Ubuntu?

No, it is an official part of Ubuntu. All our packages are in the same archives.

I already have Ubuntu installed, how can I get Kubuntu?

Install kubuntu-desktop either with Synaptic or the command line apt-get install. See InstallingKDE for a full explanation.

Are Kubuntu CDs available from shipit?

This is now available for PC and 64-bit PCs from https://shipit.kubuntu.org. For more information see the Ubuntu Shipit FAQ.

How do I play MP3s?

6.06 LTS (Dapper Drake)

  • Install libxine-extracodecs from the multiverse repository.
  • For JuK install libarts1-mpeglib and libakode2-mpeg.
  • You can add MP3 support to K3b by installing libk3b2-mp3.

7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon)

  • Open Amarok and play an mp3 file. Amarok will ask you if you would like to add mp3 support and then install the libxine1-ffmpeg package.
  • To play mp3's with Amarok, install the package libxine1-ffmpeg (which will install libmad0 as well).

8.04 (Hardy Heron) and 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex)

  • To burn MP3 files with K3B install the libk3b2-extracodecs.
See RestrictedFormats for more details.

What is the default root password?

There is no root password set as default. If KDE needs administrator privileges you should use your user password instead. You can also edit files as root from Konqueror with right click -> Actions -> Edit as Root. See the Root Sudo wiki page.

Are user setting preserved upgrading from Hardy to Intrepid?

If you were using the standard Kubuntu desktop with KDE3, those settings will be migrated when you upgrade. Settings for the Kubuntu KDE4 Remix are not automatically migrated, but are preserved in your home directory so they can be manually moved from .kde4 to .kde.

How do I change Konqueror back to the default KDE profiles?

Kubuntu comes with a simplified Konqueror profile to make things more use friendly compared to default KDE. To get back to the default KDE profiles: sudo rm -r /usr/share/kubuntu-default-settings/kde-profile/default/share/apps/konqueror [this one not needed in gutsy] sudo cp /usr/share/apps/konqueror/konqueror-orig.rc /usr/share/apps/konqueror/konqueror.rc To enable Konqueror to open tar and zip files: sudo rm -r /usr/share/kubuntu-default-settings/kde-profile/default/share/mimelnk/application/

Can I Sell Kubuntu CDs or Computers with Kubuntu on?

Yes, Kubuntu is Free software in the sense of freedom, so you can sell it on CDs or pre-installed on computers. You must however freely supply the source code if your customers ask for it, you can get source ISOs from If your product name or advertising uses the word Kubuntu or the Kubuntu logo you must get a trademark licence from Canonical which is usually available at no cost.

What does Kubuntu mean?

It means "towards humanity" in Bemba. Coincidently it also means free (as in beer) in Kirundi, spoken in Burundi. Kubuntu is pronounced "koo-boon-too".

How can I get help?

Ask on the mailing list kubuntu-users, the IRC channel #kubuntu on freenode or the Kubuntu Forums. For questions not related to KDE in Ubuntu (such as hardware problems) you are better asking on general Ubuntu lists or channels such as ubuntu-users or #ubuntu.

I have found a problem

Report bugs on Launchpad.

This is great, how can I help?

Please see the Helping Kubuntu wiki page.