Ubuntu/Linux Top Tips

[redjedi]

As there appears to be so many Ubuntu and Linux users on here, I thought a thread to share all your favourite apps/decorations etc, would be a good idea.

I found this new desktop wallpaper the other day and love it.

XplanetFX

It installs with a .deb so is easy to use and looks great.

Share your Linux favourites here and we'll see if we can get more Windows users to switch

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Favourite apps? to many to list here I think. Amarok, Sound Juicer, Imagination slide-show maker, DeVede DVD Creater, K3b Disc Burner, Sound Konverter, winFF are some in the Sound and Video. Also Firefox, The Gimp, Gjots2 Jotter, Glables are a few more.

 

[beanzontoast]

As Dave R says, there's just too many!

I think the best way to convince a newbie that Linux has things to offer is for them to just try it on a live cd so it doesn't make changes to their existing system - and play with the installed default apps that come with it to see what they like and dislike. I know this worked for me!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

As Dave R says, there's just too many!

I think the best way to convince a newbie that Linux has things to offer is for them to just try it on a live cd so it doesn't make changes to their existing system - and play with the installed default apps that come with it to see what they like and dislike. I know this worked for me!

A couple of years ago when I first installed Ubuntu I just enjoyed playing around with it finding out what the installed apps did and how to use them for a couple of days. After a while I wanted to do specific tasks and then had to find out what app I needed, how to use it and what it's limitations were, this was the part that was fun most of the time, but sometimes it got a bit frustrating, sometimes I needed the Ubuntu Forums or information off the internet. Now with most of what I do I know what app to use, but once in a while I'm back in the learning mode learning something new about what Ubuntu can do and that is still fun most of the time.

 

[MossCommuter]

A couple of years ago when I first installed Ubuntu I just enjoyed playing around with it finding out what the installed apps did and how to use them for a couple of days. After a while I wanted to do specific tasks and then had to find out what app I needed, how to use it and what it's limitations were, this was the part that was fun most of the time, but sometimes it got a bit frustrating, sometimes I needed the Ubuntu Forums or information off the internet. Now with most of what I do I know what app to use, but once in a while I'm back in the learning mode learning something new about what Ubuntu can do and that is still fun most of the time.

Ubuntu Software Centre has made life considerably easier

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I mostly use the package manager, but there are a couple of places on the internet that I trust for apps I can't find in the repositories.

 

[Amheirchion]

My top tip for most computing, is don't be too afraid to experiment and play around with your computer, it's the best way to learn.

More linux specific? Learn to love the terminal. You can do many things with it, including browse the internet with lynx, links2 or elinks (+ others). Chat over msn, or facebook chat or many other formats with bitlbee running through your favourite cli IRC client (mine being irssi). You can use a variety of programs to listen to music, such as moc or cplay. You can download torrents through rtorrent if you're into that sort of thing.
If you do go down that route though, how about a nice environment to run them all in, something that sits in the background and lets you resume your programs even after you've closed the terminal? Introducing screen, it lets you run several items in a single terminal window, with keybindings to switch between them, as well as several other nifty tools. Others prefer TWIN, not a program I'm familiar with (I'll confess now I'm a mere dabbler in all of the above, but have learnt to use most of them fairly efficiently even if I don't realise their full potential) but I've seen it mentioned as an alternative to screen.

If you take nothing from this, or you are interested, then check out this blog, http://kmandla.wordpress.com linked a couple of times above, for inspiration on what can be done in the command line and on older hardware.








Don't forget to keep regular back-ups though.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

My top tip for most computing, is don't be too afraid to experiment and play around with your computer, it's the best way to learn.

More linux specific? Learn to love the terminal. You can do many things with it, including browse the internet with lynx, links2 or elinks (+ others). Chat over msn, or facebook chat or many other formats with bitlbee running through your favourite cli IRC client (mine being irssi). You can use a variety of programs to listen to music, such as moc or cplay. You can download torrents through rtorrent if you're into that sort of thing.
If you do go down that route though, how about a nice environment to run them all in, something that sits in the background and lets you resume your programs even after you've closed the terminal? Introducing screen, it lets you run several items in a single terminal window, with keybindings to switch between them, as well as several other nifty tools. Others prefer TWIN, not a program I'm familiar with (I'll confess now I'm a mere dabbler in all of the above, but have learnt to use most of them fairly efficiently even if I don't realise their full potential) but I've seen it mentioned as an alternative to screen.

If you take nothing from this, or you are interested, then check out this blog, http://kmandla.wordpress.com linked a couple of times above, for inspiration on what can be done in the command line and on older hardware.

Don't forget to keep regular back-ups though.

I must admit I haven't done much in the terminal, used it once in a while to fix problems and that is all, most of what I do can be easily done in the Gui so I haven't felt the need to do more in the terminal.

 

[martint235]

PC Pro will be including a distro of Ubuntu in the March issue (available Feb) along with a major feature on Linux. I'm intending to make my system dual boot then. I did have a distro on disk but naturally when I want it, it's nowhere to be seen.....

 

[beanzontoast]

A couple of years ago when I first installed Ubuntu I just enjoyed playing around with it finding out what the installed apps did and how to use them for a couple of days. After a while I wanted to do specific tasks and then had to find out what app I needed, how to use it and what it's limitations were, this was the part that was fun most of the time, but sometimes it got a bit frustrating, sometimes I needed the Ubuntu Forums or information off the internet. Now with most of what I do I know what app to use, but once in a while I'm back in the learning mode learning something new about what Ubuntu can do and that is still fun most of the time.

This is the thing - most Linux flavours are community oriented, and Ubuntu is very strong in this respect.

As for choosing apps, the base install of any Linux flavour can only provide so much. Anyone making the change from Windows to Linux has to find programs that will do the same tasks as their Windows-based software titles. Sometimes, it's easy because the same app is available on both platforms (e.g. VLC player), but quite often it's a case of finding a program in Linux that can fill the role of the Windows-based software. Wine is great but it has its limits. If you need to be able to work with people using Windows-based software, the need for seamless compatibility is paramount. This is why a proportion of folk run both Linux and Windows in either dual boot or on different computers.

There is the other side of the coin though - for some projects I use free Linux sofware for which I have not found a freeware Windows equivalent.

 

[MossCommuter]

PC Pro will be including a distro of Ubuntu in the March issue (available Feb) along with a major feature on Linux. I'm intending to make my system dual boot then. I did have a distro on disk but naturally when I want it, it's nowhere to be seen.....

why wait (unless you have limited broadband).

Just download it and go!

 

[martint235]

why wait (unless you have limited broadband).

Just download it and go!

Good point. Forgot I have unlimited broadband nowadays!!!

 

[buddha]

For starters, there's gimp - free of course and pretty much identical to older versions of photoshop.
I like the last.fm app. Much better than running it from a browser.
Ubuntu One - more than just a cloud.
Desktop effects / compiz.

I've stopped using dual boot (i.e. starting either Ubuntu or Win at startup). Now I just boot straight into Ubuntu. If I need a Windows only app, I start Windows as a virtual machine (using VirtualBox)

 

[yello]

If I need a Windows only app, I start Windows as a virtual machine (using VirtualBox)

Same here. The Garmin Training Centre software is windows only, and I don't expect it ever to be developed for Linux (surprisingly head in the sand stuff from Garmin imho), so I have a Win2k virtual machine for that purpose only. That, for me, makes VirtualBox a 'top tip'.

I like dicking around with Cairo Dock and compiz effects too, and change the look of my Ubuntu desktop on a geekingly regular basis. I messed around with Conky on my netbook for a while where you could script your own desktop apps really simply... very additive!

 

[meenaghman]

I got a bit pissed off lately when the ffmpeg codecs were removed. Was trying to change some files..I did try to .install via media buntu but didnt seem to work.
On plus side there's a c and c++ compiler..plus other programming stuff. I'm not much of a programmer but enjoy playing mainly in perl.
I don't know if get-iplayer works on Windows..works a treat on ubuntu.
I've had numerous problems upgrading on Windows..ubuntu is easy peasy.
Most NB though is the fact that all the daemons come for free..esp SSH. Would end up paying thru the nose for window server to get those.
For those who grew up with dos then the commandline pipes are really powerful in the terminal for sorting cuting text..why use Excel when a few commands gives you the info..