© Copyright 2008 Keir Thomas.
Ubuntu is a trademark of Canonical Ltd.
Ubuntu Pocket Guide and Reference is not affiliated to Canonical Ltd.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Ubuntu Pocket Guide and Reference
The Ubuntu Pocket Guide and Reference is a excellent resource for Ubuntu users and is now available for download at www.ubuntupocketguide.com. The book focuses on teaching new users how to navigate Linux and the skills needed to become an expert Ubuntu user. Offering support for both Ubuntu 8.04 and 8.10. I find the pocketbook to be accessible and easy to understand. I am currently making my way through the 150+ pages on solid Ubuntu knowledge.
© Copyright 2008 Keir Thomas.
Ubuntu is a trademark of Canonical Ltd.
Ubuntu Pocket Guide and Reference is not affiliated to Canonical Ltd.
© Copyright 2008 Keir Thomas.
Ubuntu is a trademark of Canonical Ltd.
Ubuntu Pocket Guide and Reference is not affiliated to Canonical Ltd.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
The Linux Alternative Project
The Linux Alternative Project provides a database with the Linux equivalent of many Windows programs.
Whether you recently made the switch or are an old Linux user, the site contains a lot of information and links for software that being actively developed and comparable to some of the Windows applications you are used to using.
Check out The Linux Alternative Project site at http://www.linuxalt.com/
Whether you recently made the switch or are an old Linux user, the site contains a lot of information and links for software that being actively developed and comparable to some of the Windows applications you are used to using.
Check out The Linux Alternative Project site at http://www.linuxalt.com/
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Skype On The Dell Mini 9
Get Skype
You can download Skype for Linux directly from the Skype website or install it from the Medibuntu repository. I prefer, and recommend, downloading it from Medibuntu. They have packaged Skype specifically for Ubuntu 8.10 in both i386 and lpia architectures. You can install the Medibuntu repository by following these steps.
To install Skype after setting up the Medibuntu Repository,
In a terminal type:
sudo apt-get install skype
Configuring The Mini's Audio
Double click the volume control icon on the gnome panel and select Preferences.
Make sure the Master, Internal Mic Boost, Capture & Input Boxes are checked, close the dialogue box.
Then increase the Internal Mic Boost volume.
Select the Recording Tab and turn your capture settings up. Make sure the mic icon on the bottom of the dialog box is not X'ed out.
Go to the Options tab and select Front Mic.
Configuring Skype
Go to the Options menu, under Sound Devices
Sound In - HDA Intel (hw:Intel,0)
Sound Out - HDA Intel (hw:Intel,0)
Ringing - HDA Intel (hw:Intel,0)
Uncheck the box that says "Allow Skype" to automatically adjust your mixer levels.
Apply the settings.
Go to the Options menu, under Video Drivers
Check the Enable Skype Video
and also check the Start my video automatically when I am in a call box.
Select Integrated Webcam (/dev/video0)
Apply the settings.
Skype will now work with the Mini's internal mic and speakers. Configuring other devices to work with Skype is up to you. I haven't had much luck with my PS3 Bluetooth headset.
Have a question or problem that this article doesn't cover? Ask our Ubuntu Mini 9 Google Group for help.
edited by pHreaksYcle
You can download Skype for Linux directly from the Skype website or install it from the Medibuntu repository. I prefer, and recommend, downloading it from Medibuntu. They have packaged Skype specifically for Ubuntu 8.10 in both i386 and lpia architectures. You can install the Medibuntu repository by following these steps.
To install Skype after setting up the Medibuntu Repository,
In a terminal type:
sudo apt-get install skype
Configuring The Mini's Audio
Double click the volume control icon on the gnome panel and select Preferences.
Make sure the Master, Internal Mic Boost, Capture & Input Boxes are checked, close the dialogue box.
Then increase the Internal Mic Boost volume.
Select the Recording Tab and turn your capture settings up. Make sure the mic icon on the bottom of the dialog box is not X'ed out.
Go to the Options tab and select Front Mic.
Configuring Skype
Go to the Options menu, under Sound Devices
Sound In - HDA Intel (hw:Intel,0)
Sound Out - HDA Intel (hw:Intel,0)
Ringing - HDA Intel (hw:Intel,0)
Uncheck the box that says "Allow Skype" to automatically adjust your mixer levels.
Apply the settings.
Go to the Options menu, under Video Drivers
Check the Enable Skype Video
and also check the Start my video automatically when I am in a call box.
Select Integrated Webcam (/dev/video0)
Apply the settings.
Skype will now work with the Mini's internal mic and speakers. Configuring other devices to work with Skype is up to you. I haven't had much luck with my PS3 Bluetooth headset.
Have a question or problem that this article doesn't cover? Ask our Ubuntu Mini 9 Google Group for help.
edited by pHreaksYcle
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Run Compiz Fusion on Your Mini 9
Compiz is a compositing window managers for the X Window System that uses 3D graphics hardware to create desktop effects. Compiz Fusion is the result of the re-unification of the Beryl project and the community around the Compiz Window Manager. It seeks to provide an easy and fun-to-use windowing environment, allowing use of the graphics hardware to provide impressive effects, amazing speed and unrivaled usefulness.
Compiz Fusion is the default desktop manager in Ubuntu. After installing Ubuntu on the Dell Mini 9 you will notice some of it's basic features are enabled and running. The degree to which the Mini 9 handles these effects is all subject to opinion. I think it does a nice job but is not as impressive as using a dedicated graphics card or some of the newer intrgrated chipsets. Compiz Fusion is not stable, errors, glitches and crashes are common. The integrated Intel 950 chipset is not designed for high-end graphical effects.
Readers who run Compiz Fusion will find a wonderful windowing environment, but you should go in without the rose colored glasses. You may not be able to get the performance you want when running Compiz's high-end effects.
For those of you who are running Ubuntu Netbook Remix, you will first need to stop maximus and ume-launcher/netbook-launcher from launching at startup and reset the GNOME Display Manager (gdm).
Go to System>Preferences>Sessions
Uncheck maximus and ume-launcher/netbook-launcher
Next you will need to restart the Gnome display manager
My prefered method is to log out by presisng Ctrl+Alt+Backspace
If you removed the Ubuntu menu from your panels when configuring Netbook Remix, you might have problems finding a way to run programs. When you log back in you may have to reconfigure/add the Ubuntu menu to your panel or use Run Application, Alt+F2, to run programs.
If you were not running Ubuntu Netbook Remix you can ignore the previous directions. There is not a lot of setup needed to get Compiz-Fusion running on your Mini 9, many of you will have it running by default. If not, you can use one of the follow three methods for starting Compiz and some of these tools for configuring it's settings.
There are some default settings for Compiz, that can be accessed by going to
System>Preferences>Appearances
and selecting the Visual Effects tab.
I use fusion-icon for managing Compiz Fusion.
It is a tray icon that allows me to reload the window manager, switch window managers, select windows decorator, bindings and access the Setting Manager.
To install fusion-icon
In a terminal type:
I use CompizConfig Settings Manager to configure the desktop effects.
This gives you complete control over Compiz Fusion's settings.
To install CompizConfig Settings Manager
In a terminal type:
Or you can use the command:
to start compiz, use it as your window manager
And can use the command:
to switch back to Metacity, the default Gnome window manager
Compiz Fusion is the default desktop manager in Ubuntu. After installing Ubuntu on the Dell Mini 9 you will notice some of it's basic features are enabled and running. The degree to which the Mini 9 handles these effects is all subject to opinion. I think it does a nice job but is not as impressive as using a dedicated graphics card or some of the newer intrgrated chipsets. Compiz Fusion is not stable, errors, glitches and crashes are common. The integrated Intel 950 chipset is not designed for high-end graphical effects.
Readers who run Compiz Fusion will find a wonderful windowing environment, but you should go in without the rose colored glasses. You may not be able to get the performance you want when running Compiz's high-end effects.
For those of you who are running Ubuntu Netbook Remix, you will first need to stop maximus and ume-launcher/netbook-launcher from launching at startup and reset the GNOME Display Manager (gdm).
Go to System>Preferences>Sessions
Uncheck maximus and ume-launcher/netbook-launcher
Next you will need to restart the Gnome display manager
My prefered method is to log out by presisng Ctrl+Alt+Backspace
If you removed the Ubuntu menu from your panels when configuring Netbook Remix, you might have problems finding a way to run programs. When you log back in you may have to reconfigure/add the Ubuntu menu to your panel or use Run Application, Alt+F2, to run programs.
If you were not running Ubuntu Netbook Remix you can ignore the previous directions. There is not a lot of setup needed to get Compiz-Fusion running on your Mini 9, many of you will have it running by default. If not, you can use one of the follow three methods for starting Compiz and some of these tools for configuring it's settings.
There are some default settings for Compiz, that can be accessed by going to
System>Preferences>Appearances
and selecting the Visual Effects tab.
I use fusion-icon for managing Compiz Fusion.
It is a tray icon that allows me to reload the window manager, switch window managers, select windows decorator, bindings and access the Setting Manager.
To install fusion-icon
In a terminal type:
sudo apt-get install fusion-icon
You can find it under System>Preferences>Compiz Fusion IconI use CompizConfig Settings Manager to configure the desktop effects.
This gives you complete control over Compiz Fusion's settings.
To install CompizConfig Settings Manager
In a terminal type:
sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager
Once installed you can access it through fusion-icon or by going to System>Preferences>CompizConfig Settings ManagerOr you can use the command:
compiz --replace
in Run Appliction (Alt+F2)to start compiz, use it as your window manager
And can use the command:
metacity --replace
in Run Appliction (Alt+F2)to switch back to Metacity, the default Gnome window manager
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Install a TTF Font, Microsoft Core Fonts & Ubuntu Font
To Install a TTF Font
Step 1: Prepare your files
YouFont is a good place to start, there are countless free font site out there. Feel free to leave a link in the comments section of your favourites. If the font is compressed (tar, zip, rar, etc) uncompress it (right click>Extract Here). Fonts should end in the extension .ttf for this guide to work.
Step 2: Now make a directory for your custom ttf fonts
in a terminal type:
Step 3: Put the ttf font into the folder your created
In a terminal type:
This will bring up a nautilus window
Step 4: Rebuild your font cache
In a terminal type:
To install the free Microsoft core fonts and increase compatibility in OpenOffice
In a terminal type:
Install the Ubuntu title font, used to create the blog's header and logo
In a terminal type:
Step 1: Prepare your files
YouFont is a good place to start, there are countless free font site out there. Feel free to leave a link in the comments section of your favourites. If the font is compressed (tar, zip, rar, etc) uncompress it (right click>Extract Here). Fonts should end in the extension .ttf for this guide to work.
Step 2: Now make a directory for your custom ttf fonts
in a terminal type:
sudo mkdir /usr/share/fonts/truetype/custom
Step 3: Put the ttf font into the folder your created
In a terminal type:
sudo nautilus
This will bring up a nautilus window
go to /usr/share/fonts/truetype/custom
Copy your fonts into this folderStep 4: Rebuild your font cache
In a terminal type:
sudo fc-cache -f -v
To install the free Microsoft core fonts and increase compatibility in OpenOffice
In a terminal type:
sudo apt-get install msttcorefonts
Install the Ubuntu title font, used to create the blog's header and logo
In a terminal type:
sudo apt-get install ttf-ubuntu-title
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Aircraft Manager: Save Battery By Turning Off WiFi and Bluetooth
This guide in for Ubuntu 8.04 & 8.10, for Ubuntu 9.04 use this guide
One of the sacrifices I had to make when choosing to install Ubuntu 8.10 was that there would be no way to turn off WiFi and/or Bluetooth. The battery would drain faster from keeping them powered, even when not in use.
Dell released Aircraft Manager, a program for turning these devices off, in lpia form, for Ubuntu 8.04 when the Mini was first shipped. Seeing how I was not running an lpia system, I was hesitant to install the package. Recently it was brought to my attention that there is a Aircraft Manager.deb usable in both i386 and lpia systems.
Download the Aircraft Manager .deb
Once installed, you can find Aircraft Manager in System>Preferences, under the title Airplane Mode
It allows you to turn off WifFi, Bluetooth, or both
And you can also put the Mini into Airplane Mode for safe usage while flying
Since someone asked:
The reason flights ban laptops is that they emit radio waves. All wireless devices do, and the navigation and flight control computers on airplanes are designed to sense even very weak signals coming from far away. Radio waves with just the right power and frequency can, in theory, introduce errors in computing equipment.
One of the sacrifices I had to make when choosing to install Ubuntu 8.10 was that there would be no way to turn off WiFi and/or Bluetooth. The battery would drain faster from keeping them powered, even when not in use.
Dell released Aircraft Manager, a program for turning these devices off, in lpia form, for Ubuntu 8.04 when the Mini was first shipped. Seeing how I was not running an lpia system, I was hesitant to install the package. Recently it was brought to my attention that there is a Aircraft Manager.deb usable in both i386 and lpia systems.
Download the Aircraft Manager .deb
Once installed, you can find Aircraft Manager in System>Preferences, under the title Airplane Mode
It allows you to turn off WifFi, Bluetooth, or both
And you can also put the Mini into Airplane Mode for safe usage while flying
Since someone asked:
The reason flights ban laptops is that they emit radio waves. All wireless devices do, and the navigation and flight control computers on airplanes are designed to sense even very weak signals coming from far away. Radio waves with just the right power and frequency can, in theory, introduce errors in computing equipment.
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