Personalizing Ubuntu

Personalizing Ubuntu (for pdf copy click here)

To check whether your hardware will work with Linux go to:

http://doc.gwos.org/index.php/HCL

WPA Security: To add WPA security to Ubuntu open Synaptic manager search for wpasupplicant and select it for addition to your system. This program will probably require some special tweaking, based on your Wireless card, or system, and is probably a project best left to Installfest. Send an email via the PLUG website informing installers of your needs including the brand and version of your wireless adapter. Or the type of internal system your computer uses. IE Intel or Broadcom.

Adding Printer: First try plug and play by plugging in printer and rebooting if necessary. If the system recognizes the printer let the system install the drivers and again reboot if necessary.

If plug and play fails go to System/Administration>Printing and click on add printer check dropdown menu for your brand of printer and the model drop down for specific model. Select if shown and install drivers.

If this fails go to:

www.linuxprinting.org/download/PPD/ or www.adobe.com/products/printerdrivers/winppd.html

If you find your drivers download and repeat add printer process and click on install drivers.

Scanner: Scanners run under SANE (scanner access now easy) Install Xsane from Synaptic manager. Sane will be added to your application menu.

You can check your Scanner for compatibility at:

www.sane-project.org

Firewall: If you want a firewall one can be added from Synaptic manager. Search for firestarter and then mark for install. You will need to log off and then back on for Firestarter to be added to your Applications menu under System tools.

Once selected from the menu Firestarter will walk you through a setup menu.

Checkout this site for help with setup: http://linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/reports/2719/1/ or refer to page 131 in Beginning Ubuntu Linux by Keir Thomas

Altering the Theme: Select System>Preferences>Theme You can now select from the available themes. It will help if you open a Nautilus browser window in the background so you can see the changes as you put them into effect. When you have finished with all of your selections save the theme and give it a personal name so that you can reselect it later if you make other themes.

Create a Floppy: Select Applications>System Tools> Floppy Formatter this will open a simple to understand window for selecting type. If you intend to share this with Window users be sure to select DOS (Fat) otherwise floppy will be formatted for Linux only.

Playing Music: Playing music requires that codecs be downloaded Codec is software that handles decoding of music files. The necessary files are available in Synaptic manager. Search for and install the following: gstreamerx. x-plugins X = (largest current version number), gstreamerx.x-plugins-multiverse, gstreamerx.x-ffmpeg. Examples gstreamer0.8-plugins or gstreamer1.0-plugins

These sets will include almost every codec available. And they will also notify you that many addition items will be downloaded and installed to support them.

Configuring XMMS: Start XMMS from Applications>Sound and Video>XMMS

1. Right click the title bar and select Options>Preferences

2. In the dialog box that appears, look for Output Plugin under Audio I/O Plugins tab, and then select eSound Output plugin

3. Click OK and the Quit XMMS.

A handy program for listening to Radio music is Streamtuner use Synaptic manager to locate and install it. It will then require a desktop Icon. To do this, right click a blank spot on the desktop, and select create launcher. In the resulting command box click add Icon and then enter the path:

/usr/share/steamtuner/python/icons/basic.ch.png.

To use just click the Icon and scroll to find a music style you like.

Installing RealPlayer: If you want to install RealPlayer go to www.real.com

And download the latest Linux version. Now open a terminal window and type:

Chmod +x filename substituting the RealPlayer file name for filename

Sudo ./filename substituting the RealPlayer file name for filename

During the install you will be asked various questions. When asked where you want to install RealPlayer type /usr/bin/RealPlayer (do not use the default selection)

Now reboot and it will be ready to play RealPlayer files.

Empty the tmp files to gain space: Here is a script file that will allow this to be done without causing problems. (the Temporary file system is always in use and cannot be emptied while it is being used)

Sudo killall gdm

[log in with your user name and password]

Sudo init 1 rm –rf /tmp/*

reboot

This will turn off computer, restart in level 1, empty all tmp files and then reboot system.

Emptying Cache of Package Files: You can also gain space by emptying the Cache of package files. This area builds up as programs are added and updated and can consume a lot of disk space over time.

To empty type: sudo rm –f /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb

This will empty the cache, want to resote packages later just locate them in Synaptic manager and mark for reinstallation.

Backing Up: Back ups can be made be installing sbackup using Synaptic manager. Just search for sbackup and mark for installation.

After Install is complete Backup will be added to your Systems menu. Select and it will walk you through a Wizard to help you select what to back up and where to save the backup files. If selection is under 700 megabytes you can back up to a CD.