gnu/linux
base configuration
in this section you can find some useful software to add to the installation.
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preparing for installations:
applications -> internet:
applications -> office & graphics
applications -> accessories
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applications -> sound & video: audio player (audacious) video player (vlc) cd/dvd burning (k3b) audio files conversion (soundconverter) cd ripper (asunder) dvd decrypter and ripper (dvdrip) avidemux (avi editor) desktop recording (gtk-recordmydesktop) subtitles editor (subtitleeditor)system utility: archiving codecs (rar, 7zip, ace…)  panel indicators gnome partition editor (gparted) grub loadermanagerapplications -> programming:
other applications: |
variation of the repositories
let’s add the medibuntu repositories => go to https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Medibuntu and follow the instructions under the paragraph “adding the repository”
then go to: system –> administration –> software sources and flag, for all the tabs, all the repositories but those labeled with “source” (source code for developers), pre-released & unsupported updates” (unstable packages).
in the last tab it’s possible to submit statistical information about installed packages (i always flag it, so they understand what software we want from the base installation).
to uninstall a package, the string is the following:
sudo apt-get remove packagename
to uninstall eventually previously installed packages automatically from the system due to dependencies, and now no more useful:
sudo apt-get autoremove
otherwise it’s possible to uninstall/install packages by gui from: system –> administration –> synaptic package manager.
warning: to remove packages of the ubuntu default installation
could cause problems, better to avoid it for a low experienced
user, in any case better to remove the packages from the gui.
to enable/disable menu items:
system –> preferences –> main menu and flag/unflag.
skype
download the debian package from http://www.skype.com/download/skype/linux/, then install it double-clicking upon it
resides in applications–internet–skype
project’s home page : http://www.skype.com/
avidemux (avi editor)
sudo apt-get install avidemux xvid4conf
resides in applications–sound & video–avidemux
project’s home page : http://avidemux.sourceforge.net/
extra fonts microsoft for the web
sudo apt-get install msttcorefonts
nautilus pyextensions: a graphical handler, written in python and pygtk, of the nautilus file manager python extensions.
to download the “.deb” package or have screenshots/instructions go to the local project page.
resides in applications–accessories–nautilus pyextensions
the extensions included by default in nautilus pyextensions:
open-terminal-geometry.py allows to open the terminal window on the selected folder/current directory, with predefined geometry (edit the parameter GEOMETRY to change it), with the right-click;
set-as-desktop-background.py allows to set as desktop background the selected image file with the right-click;
open-as-root.py allows to open the selected file/folder as root user, so having administrator rights;
add-to-audacious2-playlist.py allows to add all the selected audio files to the audacious playlist with the right-click;
meld-compare.py and 
kdiff3-compare.py allow to compare two selected files/folders with meld and kdiff3. meld is the best with files comparison and kdiff3 is the best with folders comparison; the kdiff3 version that is automatically installed when you activate kdiff3-compare is “kdiff3-qt”, which is independent from the kde desktop;
replace-in-filenames.py allows to replace some text with other text in all the filenames of the current directory.
project’s home page : the local project page
archiving codecs (rar, zip, 7zip, ace,…)
sudo apt-get install p7zip-full rar unrar unace-nonfree
note: if you have troubles extracting an archive, try with
winrar (working with wine):
1) if not already done, install wine
2) download the “.exe” file from the webpage http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm, click twice to install
3) resides in applications–wine–programs–winrar–winrar
ftp client (filezilla or nautilus)
nautilus is already installed (it’s ubuntu’s file manager) but still has some problems with transfer of big quantities of files or heavy files.
filezilla
sudo apt-get install filezilla
resides in applications–internet–filezilla ftp client
project’s home page : http://filezilla-project.org/
nautilus
go to places–connect to server, choose “service type” = “ftp (with login)“, then fill in “server” and “user name“. in order to have this remote folder added to the nautilus bookmarks, flag “add bookmark” and fill in a “bookmark name“.
at last click upon “connect” and fill in the password when it will be requested.
resides in places–bookmarks–“bookmark name” you choosed
every time you connect to remote folder, the sistem behaves the same as connecting a usb key: one drive is mounted and you see it appear on the desktop. to unmount it, just right click on the desktop icon and choose “unmount volume”.
subtitles editor
sudo apt-get install subtitleeditor
resides in applications–sound & video–subtitle editor
project’s home page : http://home.gna.org/subtitleeditor/
wine (windows applications on linux)
be sure to have the extra repositories added
sudo apt-get install wine
functioning of wine: click twice upon the “.exe” file, wine installs and you will find the programs in applications–wine–programs
to uninstall: applications–wine–uninstall wine software
the “c” drive of windows can be reached from: applications–wine–browse c:\ drive
project’s home page : http://www.winehq.org/
video player vlc:
be sure to have the extra repositories added
sudo apt-get install vlc libdvdcss2
resides in applications–sound & video–vlc media player
to make vlc the default application to launch the video files (“.avi”,”.wmv”,”.flv”,”.mpg”,”.asf”,…) see the how tos
project’s home page : http://www.videolan.org/
player audio (audacious):
sudo apt-get install audacious
resides in applications–sound & video–audacious
to make audacious the default application to launch the audio files see the how tos
project’s home page : http://audacious-media-player.org/
cd/dvd burning:
sudo apt-get install k3b
resides in applications–sound & video–k3b
project’s home page : http://k3b.plainblack.com/
google talk (through pidgin)
sudo apt-get install pidgin
1) in order to create a google talk account just choose:
– protocol: “google talk”,
– insert username and password,
-flag “new mail notifications”,
– click “save”.
2) in order to add custom smileys:
– download animated “.gif“, here you can find some
– from chat window click upon smile–manage custom smileys–add
3) in order to add a gtalk custom message/custom status, from the buddy list window click upon your status (in the bottom of the buddy list) and select “new status…“
resides in applications–internet–pidgin internet messenger
project’s home page : http://www.pidgin.im/
firefox plugins / add-ons:
to allow firefox to display the flash contents:
sudo apt-get install flashplugin-installer
to allow firefox to display the video contents:
sudo apt-get install mozilla-plugin-vlc moonlight-plugin-mozilla
to allow firefox to display the java contents:
sudo apt-get install sun-java6-plugin
to set a good filter to the advertisement that spoils the webpages:
go to the link below with the firefox browser and click upon “add to firefox“
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/adblock-plus/
if you want to have the opportunity to download the streaming audios/videos (such as youtube), install video downloadhelper: go to the link below with the firefox browser and click upon “add to firefox“
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/video-downloadhelper/
to turn the empty new tab page (and optionally the home page too) to a page with screenshots and links to the most frequently visited pages, latest bookmarks and recently closed tabs: go to the link below with the firefox browser and click upon “add to firefox“
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/new-tab-jumpstart/
geany : lightweight multilanguages integrated development environment (ide)
sudo apt-get install geany
resides in applications–programming–geany
project’s home page : http://www.geany.org/
meld : files/folders differences viewer, comparison and merging tool
sudo apt-get install meld
resides in applications–programming–meld
project’s home page : http://meld.sourceforge.net/
glade : easy creation of user interfaces with gtk+ libraries
sudo apt-get install glade
resides in applications–programming–glade interface designer
project’s home page : http://glade.gnome.org/
mercurial : version control
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install mercurial tortoisehg
project’s home page : http://mercurial.selenic.com/
project’s home page : http://tortoisehg.bitbucket.org/
indicators
sudo apt-get install indicator-multiload indicator-weather
project’s home page : https://launchpad.net/indicator-multiload
project’s home page : https://launchpad.net/weather-indicator
google earth (all world’s maps)
be sure to have the extra repositories added
sudo apt-get install googleearth
resides in applications–internet–google earth
(note: you can find similar functionalities without install anything just going with the browser to http://maps.google.com/)
project’s home page : http://earth.google.com/
gimp (edit/create images)
sudo apt-get install gimp
resides in applications–graphics–gimp
project’s home page : http://www.gimp.org/
inkscape (edit/create vectorial images)
sudo apt-get install inkscape
resides in applications–graphics–inkscape
project’s home page : http://www.inkscape.org
gtk-recordmydesktop (it allows to record the whole desktop or only a selected fraction )
sudo apt-get install recordmydesktop gtk-recordmydesktop
resides in applications–sound & video–gtk-recordmydesktop
project’s home page : http://recordmydesktop.sourceforge.net
emule morphxt (working with wine):
1) if not already done, install wine
2) download the “.exe” file from the webpage http://emulemorph.sourceforge.net/ (downloads–installer), click twice to install
3) resides in applications–wine–programs–emule–emule morphxt
4) if the server list is empty in the “servers” tab: in the “servers” tab, insert in the field “update server.met from url” the url “http://www.morphxt-italia.com/download/server.met” (without quotation marks), after that click upon “update”
pdf files editing (pdfedit)
sudo apt-get install pdfedit
resides in applications–graphics–pdf editor
project’s home page : http://pdfedit.petricek.net/index_e.html
web page editor (kompozer):
sudo apt-get install kompozer
resides in applications–internet–kompozer
project’s home page : http://www.kompozer.net/
hierarchical note taking (cherrytree) :
download the “.deb” package from the local project page and install it with double click.
resides in applications–accessories–cherrytree
project’s home page : local project page
x tile (opened windows tiling) :
download the “.deb” package from the local project page and install it with double click.
resides in applications–accessories–x-tile
project’s home page : local project page
audio files conversion (soundconverter):
sudo apt-get install soundconverter gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse
resides in applications–sound & video–sound converter
project’s home page : http://soundconverter.berlios.de/
cd ripper (asunder):
sudo apt-get install lame asunder
resides in applications–sound & video–asunder
project’s home page : http://littlesvr.ca/asunder/
dvdrip : dvd decrypter and ripper
be sure to have the extra repositories added
sudo apt-get install dvdrip libdvdcss2 xvid4conf
resides in applications–sound & video–dvd::rip
(note: you can find already ripped subtitles for all movies here http://www.opensubtitles.org/)
project’s home page : http://www.exit1.org/dvdrip/
gnome partition editor (gparted):
sudo apt-get install gparted
resides in system–administration–gparted
note: the most powerful partitioning tool is always the live cd (see the installation section)
project’s home page : http://gparted.sourceforge.net/
grub loader gui manager:
sudo apt-get install startupmanager
resides in system–administration–startup-manager
project’s home page : http://web.telia.com/~u88005282/sum/index.html
to search for other applications:
1) with automatic installs of ubuntu: go to applications–ubuntu software center, there are many applications well described than can be installed, just flag to install and unflag to uninstall; the key “apply changes” will complete the job.
2) on http://gtk-apps.org/ the developers publish their jobs for gnome (the ubuntu desktop) and gtk+ (the ubuntu graphic library).
