---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Make Tech Easier <[email protected]> Date: Thu, Apr 23, 2009 at 6:20 PM Subject: Make Tech Easier To: [email protected]
Make Tech Easier <http://maketecheasier.com> 9 Things You Need To Do/Install After Installing Ubuntu 9.04<http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/MakeTechEasier/%7E3/326gcLOu2JY/22> Posted: 22 Apr 2009 02:57 PM PDT [image: ubuntu-logo]After you have downloaded and installed Ubuntu 9.04, what is next thing you should do? Getting Ubuntu onto your hard disk is only the first step. It is still in the raw and unpolished state. To get the best out of it, you really need to configure and customize it to suit your needs. In part 3 of the series, I am going to go through the important things that you need to do after you have got Jaunty up and running. 1) Enable the repositories Every time I do a fresh install of Ubuntu, the first thing that I do is to enable the *universe*, *multiverse*, *backport* and *Canonical’s ‘partner’*repositories. These repositories open up new application choices and allows you to install popular third party software easily and quickly. Go to *System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager*. Click on *Settings -> Repositories*. Checked all the boxes. [image: synaptic-repositories] Go to the *Third-Party Software* tab. Check all the boxes too. Close the window and press the *Reload* button at the top left corner to update the repositories. 2) Modifying GRUB menu The GRUB menu is the black screen that you see when you boot up your computer. You can easily modify the setting, including whether it is hidden or how many seconds before it boots up. One of the useful application that allows you to modify your GRUB menu easily is Startup Manager sudo apt-get install startupmanager Before you modify your GRUB menu, it is best to back it up. sudo cp /boot/grub/menu.lst /boot/grub/menu-backup.lst Open your Startup Manager, here is where you can change the timeout, how many kernel entries to keep and show/hide the grub screen. [image: startupmanager] 3) Configure Firewall If you are concern about your security, then it is pertinent that you activate the firewall and prevent any unauthorized access to your computer. UFW is installed by default, but if you need a graphical interface, install GUFW. sudo apt-get install gufw [image: gufwl] Alternative to GUFW is Firestarter<http://maketecheasier.com/configure-a-firewall-in-linux-using-firestarter/2009/03/29>which is a simple but powerful app that allows you to monitor your traffic sudo apt-get install firestarter 4) Wine Wine is a must-have application for those who can’t live without their Windows applications, It allows you to install your Windows application in your Ubuntu machine and run them like native Windows apps. sudo apt-get install wine Once you have installed Wine, remember to run the configuration (*Applications -> Wine -> Configure Wine*) before attempting to install your favorite Windows app. 5) Ubuntu-Restricted-extras Can’t listen to MP3? Can’t watch Youtube video? Can’t run Java? Don’t worry, all you need to do is to install the *ubuntu-estricted-extras* package and it will install all the necessary files/codecs for you. Some common applications in the package include MP3 codec, Adobe Flash player, Java runtime and Microsoft core fonts. sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras 6) Ubuntu Tweak Ubuntu Tweak allows you to tweak your system settings, all in one place. You can install new applications, customize your desktop settings, configure your startup applications, changing the system filetype association and many more tweaks in this single application. [image: ubuntu-tweak] To install Ubuntu Tweak, first open your sources.list files gksu gedit /etc/apt/sources.list insert the following lines to the end of the file. Save and close. deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/tualatrix/ubuntu jaunty main deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/tualatrix/ubuntu jaunty main In the terminal, update the repository and install Ubuntu Tweak sudo apt-get updatesudo apt-get install ubuntu-tweak 7) VLC After trying out several media players, including Totem and MPlayer, I still prefer VLC for its great support for almost any kind of multimedia format out there. sudo apt-get install vlc [image: 8)] Gnome Do Gnome Do<http://maketecheasier.com/gnome-do-docky-a-new-dock-on-the-block/2009/02/12>is a small application that allows you to search and do things faster and more efficiently in your Ubuntu machine. It is similar to QuickSilver in Mac and Launchy in Windows. For those who have not tried Gnome Do before, it might take some time for you to get used to it. But once you’re hooked to it, there will be no turning back for you. Gnome Do also comes with a dock interface that you can use it like any other docks. sudo apt-get install gnome-do 9) Eye candy Some people like to have nice beautiful effects on their desktop while others may just want a minimal desktop. If you belong to the former, here are some applications that you can install to beautify your desktop. - CompizConfigSettingsManager: The configuration manager for Compiz. Inside you can find lots of interesting (and useless) desktop effects. - Avant Windows Navigator, Cairo dock - Mac OSX style dock for your desktop - conky, greklim - display system setting on your desktop. Conclusion This is not a list about the popular applications out there that you should have, but a list of basic stuffs that you need to have for better performance. Initially, I wanted to include more of my favorite apps such as Songbird, Thunderbird, Adobe Air, VirtualBox, Filezilla, Checkgmail etc, but I find that they are more of a personal perferences rather than a must-have for everyone. If you favorite application is not in the list, do tell me about it in the comments. <https://feedads.googleadservices.com/%7Ea/0eHNUViGQi9OBt2CUQydAclDh6M/a> <http://feeds2.feedburner.com/%7Eff/MakeTechEasier?a=326gcLOu2JY:RItFVD_nhRw:V_sGLiPBpWU> <http://feeds2.feedburner.com/%7Eff/MakeTechEasier?a=326gcLOu2JY:RItFVD_nhRw:gIN9vFwOqvQ> <http://feeds2.feedburner.com/%7Eff/MakeTechEasier?a=326gcLOu2JY:RItFVD_nhRw:F7zBnMyn0Lo> <http://feeds2.feedburner.com/%7Eff/MakeTechEasier?a=326gcLOu2JY:RItFVD_nhRw:qj6IDK7rITs> Taking LXDE For a Test Drive<http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/MakeTechEasier/%7E3/YH8EDMXBYr8/22> Posted: 22 Apr 2009 09:21 AM PDT [image: LXDE Logo]There are a lot of contenders in the ring when it comes to open source desktop environments. The most well known would probably be Gnome and KDE in the heavyweight class, XFCE for middleweight, and any number of small, fast desktop environments and window managers in the lightweight ring. When it comes to the lightweight options, it’s no secret I’m a Window Maker fanboy<http://maketecheasier.com/create-a-great-window-maker-desktop/2009/02/14>. Recently, I’d been hearing more and more about a new challenger for the lightweight crown, LXDE. Can it stack up against the likes of Window Maker, Enlightenment, and Openbox? I decided to find out. I began by installing LXDE from my apt mirror. If you’re not sure how to do this, open a command terminal and enter apt-get install lxde As always, your distro of choice may have a different installation method. Once everything’s installed, log out of your current desktop environment and log back in under LXDE. Each distribution’s package may have different settings, but for me I got the following as my default desktop: [image: Full LXDE Screenshot] As you can see from the screenshot, LXDE uses a roughly Windows-like setup, with a panel at the bottom, “Start” button, desktop icons, etc. That should make it a fairly easy transition desktop for those just switching from Windows. It may not be fair to stack LXDE against Openbox in particular, as LXDE is essentially Openbox with some additional utilities. Essentially, what the creators have done is take Openbox as a window manager and add some custom-built applications to turn it into a full-featured, consistent desktop environment. The tools you’re likely to encounter in an LXDE installation are: - PCMan - File Manager - LXLauncher - Application Launcher - LXPanel - Desktop Panel - LXSession - Session Manager - LXAppearance - Theme Manager - LXTerminal - Terminal Emulator - LXTask - Task Manager - LXNM - Network Manager Of these, I’ll be focusing on PCManfm, LXPanel, and LXNM, as they have the most effect on the overall desktop experience. PCMan File Manager [image: PCMan File Manager] I thought it fitting to start with the PCMan File Manager as it was the first component of what eventually became LXDE. I’ve tried most of the file manager GUIs out there and found PCManfm to an easy, comfortable program that so far has met all my needs. Some of the key bindings didn’t match what I’m used to from other file managers, but that’s mostly a matter of preference. There’s nothing really fancy here, just a nice fast little file manager that gets the job done. LXPanel [image: LXDE Panel] The panel at the bottom of the screen in LXDE is another example of an app that just seems to focus on getting the job done without any revolutionary new concepts. It’s got the “Start” button, quick launch bar, desktop pager, all the usual items you see in your average panel. It supports various panel applets including those meant for Gnome. LXNM The network manager, LXNM, wasn’t as simple as the rest of the system for me. I was a bit surprised to see that LXNM was not part of my LXDE installation. The network manager panel applet in the screenshots above is the same applet found in recent Ubuntu releases, the nm-applet program for Gnome. When I tried to install LXNM from my apt repositories, it said nm-applet had to be removed. No problem, I let it remove the Gnome applet and install itself. On launch, however, the LXNM applet failed to load and threw a screen full of errors at me. Eventually I removed LXNM and reinstalled the Gnome applet and all was well. I’ve got no problems with running the Gnome applet as I’ve always found it to be a simple and powerful network manager, especially when compared to the tangled mess Vista calls the “Network and Sharing Center”. I did some searching on LXNM and found that it has had a more troubled history than most parts of LXDE, and is currently being redesigned. My advice: stick with the NetworkManager applet until LXNM has had a little more polish applied. Configuration This is one point where I felt LXDE was a little bit lacking. As I said above, LXDE uses Openbox as the default window manager, so you do have * obconf* for some of the system configuration. [image: Openbox configuration manager] This will give you some of the config options you may need like setting dock preferences and themes and such. The downside is that any other configuration must be done in one huge XML file. Normally I don’t mind editing config files by hand but this one is enormous, and XML isn’t always the easiest thing to read and edit by hand. If you do find yourself needing to change configuration for something that isn’t in the Openbox config utility, load up your favorite text editor and open * ~/.config/openbox/lxde-rc.xml*. I Highly recommend using a text editor with XML highlighting such as Kate. Conclusion I found LXDE to a pretty nice desktop environment. It’s certainly fast, comes with a reasonable amount of good quality tools, and a nice appearance. There’s room for improvement, however, particularly when it comes to configuration. I would count it as a good option for recent Windows converts, particularly those with older hardware that might have trouble running a beefier desktop such as Gnome or KDE. Has it pulled me away from my beloved Window Maker? I don’t think so, but it’s progressing nicely and I’d love to see what the developers come up with down the road. I’d love to hear your experiences with LXDE, or other lightweight desktop environments. <https://feedads.googleadservices.com/%7Ea/Z3ITPYmRsOj8D6Duh96oP6Fm4j0/a> <http://feeds2.feedburner.com/%7Eff/MakeTechEasier?a=YH8EDMXBYr8:wtMEmisr_MY:V_sGLiPBpWU> <http://feeds2.feedburner.com/%7Eff/MakeTechEasier?a=YH8EDMXBYr8:wtMEmisr_MY:gIN9vFwOqvQ> <http://feeds2.feedburner.com/%7Eff/MakeTechEasier?a=YH8EDMXBYr8:wtMEmisr_MY:F7zBnMyn0Lo> <http://feeds2.feedburner.com/%7Eff/MakeTechEasier?a=YH8EDMXBYr8:wtMEmisr_MY:qj6IDK7rITs> You are subscribed to email updates from Make Tech Easier<http://maketecheasier.com> To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now<http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=gtgCYVyDja3Ni8Cj8qEUz8vk_bY> . Email delivery powered by Google Inbox too full? [image: (feed)]<http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MakeTechEasier> Subscribe <http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MakeTechEasier> to the feed version of Make Tech Easier in a feed reader. 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