Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) == Installation == This is how I have my desktop system setup to easily upgrade manually; partition the HD as follows: 1. 8 GiB ext4 for OS (about 2x what Ubuntu needs for a default install; no need for larger than 20 though unless you want to install EVERYTHING ;) 2. middle partition ext4 for /home 3. max swap for 32-bit OS = ~3GiB - RAM (e.g. if you have 2 GiB of RAM, make a 1 GiB Swap). For netbooks with SSDs and 1GB of RAM, I don't bother with a swap partition at all; you may also wish to compare regular Ubuntu to the Ubuntu Netbook Remix. For 64-bit, you can make it whatever you want, but Ubuntu shouldn't really ever use more than a couple of GB of RAM. After installation, I remove mono; see http://www.theopensourcerer.com/2009/10/29/how-to-remove-mono-from-ubuntu-9-10-karmic-koala/ Specifically, run this command from terminal: sudo apt-get purge libmono* libgdiplus cli-common libsqlite0 libglitz-glx1 libglitz1 Also, because I like Mozilla and am not overly happy with Novell, I remove as much of evolution as possible (evolution* except evolution-data-server-common) [suggested alternates for removed apps: gthumb, gnote, thunderbird] Then do your updates. == Setup Synaptic == Wishlist for Default Setting Improvements in Synaptic https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/synaptic/+bug/181955 (also now "Policy Broken", e.g. packages recommened by ubuntu-desktop that are missing) deborphan gui-apt-key [run 'sudo gak' after closing Synaptic; note that it only seems to run properly if started from the CLI...] alternately the CLI add-apt-key BUT NOTE: add-apt-repository which works like this, e.g.: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:chromium-daily/ppa [carefully go through Ubuntu's repositories; Canonical's partner repo is pretty barren and if you don't use anything from restricted (mostly proprietary ATI and NVIDIA drivers), you can remove that too... :] More repos: --- Medibuntu deb http://packages.medibuntu.org/ karmic free non-free [note: free is for libre packages like libdvdcss2 while non-free is for proprietary software; either can be omitted from the DEB line as desired] 0C5A2783 (Medibuntu Packaging Team) has, among others... (free) libdvdcss2 (libre, but legal issues in some countries) (non-free) googleearth [alt. see http://maps.google.com] realplayer [not on 64-bit systems?] skype [not on 64-bit systems?] w32codecs or w64codecs [w32 is much better and both are basically just for mplayer] --- Wine ppa:ubuntu-wine/ppa it installs the rest, including the key F9CB8DB0 (Launchpad PPA for Ubuntu Wine Team) [note: install the wine1.2 and wine-gecko packages] --- Miro http://www.getmiro.com/download/ubuntu.php deb http://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/pculture.org/miro/linux/repositories/ubuntu karmic/ no public key -> errors :( --- Opera (proprietary) deb http://deb.opera.com/opera testing non-free 9D1A0061 (Opera Software Archive Automatic Signing Key 2010) --- Ksplice Uptrack http://www.ksplice.com/uptrack/download?karmicnow=y install the DEB and it installs the rest, including the key B6D4038E (Ksplice APT Repository Signing Key) --- Chromium (libre; package chromium-browser) ppa:chromium-daily/ppa 4E5E17B5 (Launchpad PPA for chromium-daily) ...and/or... Chrome (proprietary) http://www.google.com/chrome?platform=linux install the DEB and it installs the rest, including the key 7FAC5991 (Google, Inc. Linux Package Signing Key) --- VLC ppa:c-korn/vlc it installs the rest, including the key 7613768D (Launchpad PPA named vlc for Christoph Korn) see also http://members.shaw.ca/Limulus/conrad-karmic/ == Adjust Settings == Right-click Ubuntu Icon and Edit Menus enable various ones add control centre gedit [turn off backup file] nautilus [include a delete command] in gconf-editor, as desired: /apps/nautilus/preferences/always_use_location_entry /apps/nautilus/desktop/trash_icon_visible nautilus-open-terminal (requires a log out?) nautilus-wallpaper nautilus-gksu As per https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gconf-editor/+bug/203877 former entry [System -> Preferences -> ] Removable Drives and Media, the functionality of the Media tab that has been removed is now handled by Edit / Preferences / Media in Nautilus [alternately [System -> Preferences -> File Management -> Media (tab)], since Nautilus handles mounting now. You should use the options in that tab to specify what should be done upon media mounting. ntp (then see Control Center or run time-admin) For broadcom wireless firmware, install b43-fwcutter [is this automatically installed now if it's needed?] install local fonts by copying them to (or making a link to their dir in) ~/.fonts to allow CTRL-ALT-BKSPC restarting of the X server: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config/DontZap * Get to the System->Preferences->Keyboard menu. * Select the "Layouts" tab and click on the "Layout Options" button. * Then select "Key sequence to kill the X server" and enable "Control + Alt + Backspace". Problem: want day of week to start with Monday, but default settings for US, Canada start with Sunday Solution: first run: $ locale output should be a big list of things like: LANG=en_US.UTF-8 LANGUAGE=en_US.UTF-8 LC_CTYPE="en_US.UTF-8" LC_NUMERIC="en_US.UTF-8" LC_TIME=en_US.UTF-8 LC_COLLATE="en_US.UTF-8" LC_MONETARY="en_US.UTF-8" LC_MESSAGES="en_US.UTF-8" LC_PAPER="en_US.UTF-8" LC_NAME="en_US.UTF-8" LC_ADDRESS="en_US.UTF-8" LC_TELEPHONE="en_US.UTF-8" LC_MEASUREMENT=en_US.UTF-8 LC_IDENTIFICATION="en_US.UTF-8" LC_ALL= Adjust System -> Administration -> Language Support as needed then run: sudo gedit /etc/default/locale add a line like: LC_TIME="en_GB.UTF-8" (where week starts with Monday) add others as desired, e.g.: LC_MEASUREMENT=en_CA.UTF-8 (as I am in Canada and want temp in C) log out and log back in To make metapackages, install equivs equivs-control metapackage-name Edit the generated text file; fill in the blanks equivs-build metapackage-name Out comes a DEB! == Tweak Compiz == simple-ccsm (also installs compizconfig-settings-manager) Simple -> Effects -> I chose Ring Switcher Enable Wobbly -> Desktop -> Desktop Cube Desktop Columns: 4 Desktop Rows: 1 various minor settings in compizconfig-settings-manager e.g. 'show mouse' :-) [enable mouse for ring switcher; alt-tab for all workspaces, super-tab for current workspace] cairo-clock == Internet Apps == thunderbird opera [NOTE: gratis but not libre!] chromium-browser [webkit based; contrast to google-chrome-unstable, midori, etc.] links2 (; GPL'd Java icedtea6-plugin (installs openjdk-6 packages) Test: http://www.java.com/en/download/help/testvm.xml (sometimes Java crashes Firefox on my system...) flashplugin-installer Test: http://www.adobe.com/products/flash/about/ [NOTE: Adobe's flash player is gratis but not libre!] For 64-bit, you can use the above, but I recommend the pre-release of v.10; see http://limulus.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/64-bit-flash-in-ubuntu/ Further Note: While Flash is a closed format, there are two main libre viewer projects: Gnash (GPL) mozilla-plugin-gnash, gnash Swfdec (LGPL) swfdec-mozilla, swfdec-gnome Note: In my experience, not as good as proprietary Flash [[if you don't like totem-mozilla, there's mozilla-plugin-vlc, etc.]] prism (and prism-* packages, e.g. prism-google-mail) gufw is a simple firewall == Audio-Visual == [gimp to be removed from lucid] libdvdcss2 (from Medibuntu) libdvdread4 [dependency of vlc] libdvdnav4 [dependency of vlc] [note: these have difficulty with heavily protected disks; you may need to use Win apps w/Wine for those] dvd95 ogmrip shrinkta thoggen handbrake-gtk from http://handbrake.fr/index.php if you want to specifically rip files for iPods... audacity sound-juicer pitivi (gstreamer-based; to be installed by default in lucid?) lives (mplayer-based?) Also watch http://vlmc.org/ (vlc-based) and http://www.openshotvideo.com easy to install: ppa:jonoomph/openshot-edge (MLT (Media Lovin' Toolkit) based) gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg [get the five dependencies formerly known as "unstripped" now "extra"] libavcodec-extra-52 libavformat-extra-52 libavutil-extra-49 libpostproc-extra-51 libswscale-extra-0 also, if you install ffmpeg, install these two: libavfilter-extra-0 libavdevice-extra-52 gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse vlc (excellent alternative/backup to totem) Well known, but basically deprecated players: mplayer, mplayer-fonts; gnome-mplayer [basically for using proprietary w32codecs or w64codecs (not as good as w32) NOTE: copyright issues!] gxine realplayer [proprietary] from Medibuntu or official DEB from http://www.real.com/linux [32 bit only] To play MIDI files... don't use freepats! (can test the difference with midi from http://www.midi-karaoke.info/21bf3e7d.html note https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/fluid-soundfont/+bug/196135/comments/6 for OGGs of that) install fluid-soundfont-gm (better, but much bigger; ~120 MB) with timidity and timidity-interfaces-extra AFAIK, you don't need to install timidity-daemon either (BUT... you should if you install DOOM ;) (sadly, Totem can't use fluid yet; see https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gst-plugins-bad0.10/+bug/229786) sudo gedit /etc/timidity/timidity.cfg put a # in front of "source /etc/timidity/freepats.cfg" take off the # in front of "source /etc/timidity/fluidr3_gm.cfg" and "source /etc/timidity/fluidr3_gs.cfg" associate midi files with timidity -ig You can make FLAC files from MIDIs by running: timidity -OF midifilename.mid (add -Aa if the result is too quiet) == Look & Feel == peace-wallpapers tropic-wallpapers blubuntu-wallpapers edgy-wallpapers edgy-community-wallpapers feisty-wallpapers gutsy-wallpapers gnome-backgrounds gnome-themes-extras (gnome-accessibility-themes-extras) gnome-extra-icons gnome-icon-theme-* tango-icon-theme* xscreensaver-data-extra, xscreensaver-gl-extra (note: some screensavers use a lot of CPU; newer ones use GPU. Pay attention e.g. in bubblemon or system monitor) electricsheep ttf-ubuntu-title [ttf packages] == Gnome Panel == giplet bubblemon [alt.: hardware-monitor] timer-applet glunarclock [note: seems to crash in Karmic] sensors-applet (note: you may need to install lm-sensors (sudo sensors-detect) and then restart to get it working right) == Major apps == gramps scribus inkscape miro virtualbox-ose == Minor apps == All of file-roller's dependencies gparted [+ suggested packages; see also https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gparted/+bug/334170] lshw-gtk (run with sudo) cheese (may need to restart to get it working with some webcams) dasher agave gtick gcolor2 evolvotron gnome-specimen gpaint tuxpaint soundconverter ghex pyrenamer gnomescan (metapackage; see flegita) may eventually replace xsane mimms (run from Terminal) testdisk (run from Terminal; includes very useful photorec app) vrms ;) == Games == gnome-hearts gnome-mastermind gnome-games-extra-data lightyears teg ghextris liquidwar blobwars gweled atomix tuxpuck frozen-bubble (LOTS more games; see Synaptic filter or filter in Add/Remove) scummvm (free games: beneath-a-steel-sky and flight-of-the-amazon-queen) dosbox can be used for old DOS games Classic Gaming! ~1993: doom-wad-shareware (run prboom from Terminal) ~1988: gav ~1984: sopwith :-) retro ascii: moon-buggy-esd == KDE apps == Note: these will require the KDE dependencies (read: substantial download) and so I usually don't bother with these anymore... konqueror kdegames marble k3b [though I now use Ubuntu's default burning apps :] kdenlive kdegames gwenview - -- --- === --- -- -