Ubuntu customization for beginners

Ubuntu Tweak is a nice graphical front end tool for easy customization of your Ubuntu linux machine. Considering the case of a beginner in Linux world, the most haunting task is that of window customization and now it is made easier with Ubuntu Tweak. Ubuntu Tweak functions like an extended control panel and simply facilitates the matching settings even more advanced users and even provides customization which is not possible by default installation. I personally recommend using this tool. New version of Ubuntu Tweak 0.5.2 is now available for download.

Ubuntu Tweak

Following are the links to download ubuntu-tweak

- Ubuntu Lucid: ubuntu-tweak_0.5.3-1 ~ lucid1_all.deb
- Ubuntu Karmic: ubuntu-tweak_0.5.3-1 ~ karmic1_all.deb

Posted in Tips | Tagged | Comments Off

Beginners guide to Ubuntu Linux customization

After you left behind windows and joined Ubuntu world, you have been searching for ways, which would enable you to customize your Ubuntu in the way you felt. Ok , let’s start :

You need to change the way your Ubuntu looks, bored with the same old gnome interface. Try KDE desktop manager, which is more stylish and more similar to the windows environment with K-menu and much more. Kde is much more memory hungry than gnome, but works nice. To install kde, issue the following commands in the gnome-terminal.

sudo apt-get install kde

Your entire Ubuntu is transformed to the all new kde. Ok, what you want more ?. Let’s try a media player much better than Movie Player. Vlc player would be a wise choice, which offers to play almost any media format available under the sun. Issue the following command :

sudo apt-get install vlc

Now you have a nice media player and let’s try something for instant messaging. Pidgin is a nice application which takes care of all your messaging needs.Pidgin offers features like multiple account management, and easy access to your networks.

sudo apt-get install pidgin

Crazy of irc networks, time to play with X-chat, one of the best chat clients available.

sudo apt-get install xchat

Now you want is a nice editor, capable of auto-intending and auto-saving. Emacs would be great for you, it even takes care of almost everything related to programming languages.

Rhythmbox is a nice audio player, but if dissatisfied with it, try out amarok. Amarok is a much advanced audio-player with a flashy appearance.

sudo apt-get install amarok

Next we get in to firefox tweaking. There are tons of firefox addons available for free. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could surf internet faster, get faster firefox addon from mozilla.com. Video download helper is another great addon which enables you to download videos from websites which only stream, like youtube.com. Flashgot is a nice download manager for your firefox browser. You can also try flashblock and adblockplus if, you need to get rid of all those ugly ads and flash files, which eat away your bandwidth. Firefox with a nice appearance is a great idea with persona. Grab your favourite addons from here.

Now you need is a nice partition manager, which enables you to resize, format,create or delete partitions. Gparted would be perfect for you.

sudo apt-get install gparted

CD/DVD burning is fun with k3b, one of the best cd/dvd burning solutions available for linux.

sudo apt-get install k3b

Need a backup manager for linux. Consider backintime, a simple and easy to use backup manager for linux.

I think, this is enough for almost everyone, if you want more consider reading applications to make your kde more powerful . Feel free to post your comments.

Posted in Longbook | 2 Comments

Beginners guide to Linux installation on flashdrive

I know you like to try every new linux distribution, but not interested in burning cds and booting  from it. Ok, here is a solution to your problem, install your linux distro in a flash drive and boot from it without going to the hassels of creating a boot cd. If you like to install your favourite distro on a flashdrive so that you could take it everywhere you go, you are most welcome. Unetbootin is an opensource software available for windows and linux platforms which enables you to install almost all linux distributions in a thumb drive. Grab your copy of Unetbootin here. With unetbootin you can install many linux distros like ubuntu, mandriva, knoppix ,opensuse , fedora and much more.

Video showing how to install linux distros using unetbootin :

YouTube Preview Image
Posted in Tips | Comments Off

Extcalc – Advanced calculator for Linux

Excalc is a powerful calculator which apart from doing mathematical calculationsm, enables the users to  draw 2D and 3D functions with OpenGL acceleration, create scripts, performing calculations on matrices and vectors, statistical functions, and much more.

3dgraph_extcalc

extcalc1_screenshotExtcalc even offers text mode operation from terminal. According to me Extcalc is surely worth a try. To install excalc in ubuntu follow these steps :

1.Open Center Ubuntu software and type in the search box extcalc. Once you find it, click on the arrow.

2.There comes an option to install the program, click install.

3.Now goto accessories and extcalc and have fun  .

Posted in Longbook | Comments Off

Simple and fast audioplayer for Linux

If amarok or rythmbox make you feel its not for you then its the time to look up to YouAmp a simple and fast music player for linux.The name YouAmp is definitely inspired from winamp for windows, but does not seem to have any relation with it.

youamp_screenshot
Youamp simply offers essential features of an audioplayer, but lacks support for scrobble tracks. For all Ubuntu users out there, you can install YouAmp from commandline. Issue the following commands :

sudo apt-add-ppa repository: rojtberg / youamp
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install youamp

If you are interested in other simple audioplayers, audicious is a perfect choice. Audacious is fast and even have support for winamp themes.

Posted in General | Tagged | Comments Off

A simple Twitter client for Linux – Pino

Pino is a twitter client aimed at linux beginners, which offers a simple and elegant method of tweeting. Pino is simple in functionality too, that it doesn’t offer the ability to handle multiple accounts. Pino 0.1.4 offers features like direct messaging (very easy to switch between them in separate tabs), use of notification system libnotify or add buttons that allow the import of older messages and much more . But once started tweeting is fun with pino .Try out pino at http://pino-app.appspot.com/.

To install pino with commandline issue the following commands :

sudo apt-add-ppa repository: troorl / pino
sudo apt-add-ppa repository: vala-team/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install pino

Happy tweeting with Pino.

Posted in Longbook | Comments Off

Humanity Colors – icons in summer colors of the rainbow

Here is a nice opportunity to make your desktop icons more colourful with color icon theme ,Humanity Colors. This is nothing  but a modified version of icon humanity for gnome desktop environment. Download this nice icon theme from GNOME-Look.org. After downloading unpack , the file and the folder on to System => Preferences => Appearance. Hurray you are done. More details can be found at http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Any+Color+You+Like?content=102435 .humanity-colors -icon

Posted in Tips | Comments Off