Like many so-called “power users”, the first thing I do after installing Linux is customize it. I set it to my preferred desktop settings, applications and configuration because I know what I like, and I normally go to great lengths to get it just right. Recently, after setting up a new Ubuntu Maverick install for my wife, I began to wonder what it would be like to run a system on the defaults. To try things their way – to use Ubuntu’s desktop settings, Ubuntu’s preferred applications and configuration. This meant I could not install any of my favorite applications (Chrome, VLC, Exaile…) if Ubuntu already provided an equivalent (Firefox, Totem, Rhythmbox…). How did it turn out? Frustrating, but with some surprising results. (Note: This is not your usual Ubuntu review, but my miscellaneous ramblings, and some praises. Read on for details.)
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Ubuntu as Intended. My Experience Of Using the ‘Default’ Ubuntu
Synapse: A Useful Zeitgeist-based Application Launcher
If you have used Gnome-Do in Linux, you will find some resemblance in Synapse. The user-interface is the same – activate the launcher, type the search term, press Enter to execute. The only difference is that Synapse makes use of the Zeitgeist engine to display your search result. An appropriate description would be: Synapse is the launcher for your recently used files/folders/applications while Gnome-Do is the launcher for any file/folder/application.
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Banshee: Is It Good Enough To Be The Default Music Player For Ubuntu?
In the upcoming version of Ubuntu (11.04 Natty Narwhal), Banshee will be replacing Rhythmbox as the default music player. A quick look at our archive and we were surprised that we have not covered Banshee before. It is always better late than never. In this article, we are going to take a closer look at Banshee and see how it stacks up against Rhythmbox. Does it has what it takes to become the next default player for Ubuntu?
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2ClickUpdate Maintains And Clean Up Ubuntu With A Single Click
We have previously came up with 8 ways to clean up your Ubuntu machine, but 2ClickUpdate manages to reduce all the steps to just a single click. If you are looking for a quick and easy way to update, maintain and clean up your *buntu machine, you have just found it.
By itself, the update manager in Ubuntu has done a really good job in performing regular check with the repository and prompts you when there are update available. What it doesn’t do is to remove junk files and clean up your system. This is where 2ClickUpdate comes in. In addition to the regular system update, 2ClickUpdate also removes junk files, cleans used space and optimizes RAM memory.
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Easily Print to PDF, Postscript And SVG Files From Any Application [Ubuntu]
There are plenty of extensions you can install that allow you to create PDF file for any webpage you come across. Well, if you are using Linux (particularly Ubuntu), this PDF creation feature is already inbuilt in your system and you can use it without installing any other extensions/applications.
In Ubuntu, regardless which browsers or applications you are using, as long as it supports the “Print” function, you can quickly create a PDF, postscript or SVG file of the work you are doing (or the webpage that you have come across).
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Can’t Play Full-screen YouTube Video In Ubuntu Maverick 10.10? Try This Fix!
If you installed Ubuntu Maverick on a old computer with Intel graphics chipset, you will find that you won’t be able to watch YouTube video in full screen, regardless which browser you are using. Apparently, the problem lies with the embedded Flash player conflicts with the hardware acceleration.
For those who are having this problem, here’s the fix:
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How to Install Ubuntu Maverick On Your Mac Virtualbox
Ubuntu is all the rage lately in the tech world. While Linux has been largely an operating system for hobbyists and geeks, its popularity is growing with every new release of Ubuntu. From its simple installation to its touch screen friendliness and built in social networking features, Ubuntu is more viable an option today than ever before. For Mac users, there is no easy way for you to dual boot your Mac and Ubuntu, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your hands on one. Here, we will show you how you can run Ubuntu in your Mac, via Virtualbox.
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Easily Change Splash Theme Without Going To The Command Line [Ubuntu]
The plymouth theme was introduced in Ubuntu Lucid to provide a better theming solution for the splash theme. With plymouth, one can use a high resolution image as the background and also get it to show animation. The only thing that will put off many newbies is that the theme can only be changed using command line. That is until Zorin Splash Screen Manager comes along.
Zorin Splash Screen Manager is a simple GUI that allows anyone to change the splash theme easily. It is only released few days back, so it is still short of features. However, for the one thing that it did (changing of themes), it sure did its job well.
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How to install Photoshop CS5 in Ubuntu Maverick 10.10
If you are running Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick and own a copy of the Photoshop CS 5 installer, you will find that you won’t be able to install it under wine. Photoshop CS5 on Ubuntu 10.4 works fine, but not 10.10. Here’s what I did to get it running on my Ubuntu Maverick machine.
What you’ll need:
- A computer running Ubuntu Maverick
- A computer running Windows (it doesn’t have to be a computer. It can be a virtual machine running Windows in Virtualbox)
- A copy of Photoshop CS5 installer. You can get the trial version at Adobe website
From Noob to Ninja – Your Guide to Mastering Linux
Every Linux user has been new at some point, and unless you’ve got a history of UNIX administration, the transition was likely a bit daunting. Many people began learning Linux before sites like Google and StackExchange made it easy to find answers, and ended up having to figure everything out in their own. While inconvenient, this approach can force you to challenge yourself and learn things about the system that you might otherwise never find out.
Usually here at MakeTechEasier, we focus on specific topics for our tutorials. This time we’re taking a different approach, and providing a high-level overview of series of steps designed to hone the skills of a Linux beginner, and turn them into the kind of geek who compiles a new kernel for fun.
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