Seven Essential Tips For Using Ubuntu Feisty Fawn

Ed Albro writes "Matthew Newton, a columnist at PC World, has a great article up on seven things you'll want to change as soon as you start using Feisty Fawn. Some are as simple as making sure the Alt key works right, another gives you step-by-step instructions for turning on the impressive Beryl interface. 'I could spend a whole 'nother column telling you about all the great packages that are not installed by default, but for now I'll just leave you with this bonus tip: If you're running Ubuntu on a laptop and your Wi-Fi card is not detected or supported, try installing the Ndisgtk package (listed as such in Synaptic, but as 'Wireless Windows Drivers' in Add/Remove Applications). Then select the new System, Administration, Windows Wireless Drivers entry in Ubuntu's menu bar.'"

Comments

Automatix? Ugh

[joe_cot]

Don't get me wrong: I'm glad Ubuntu is getting the publicity. What bothers me the most about this article, though, is that he suggests that one of the first things you should do is install Automatix

Automatix is simple, and easy to use. It'll automatically install a lot of important stuff -- but it does so in a bad way. Overwriting files, removing dependencies, messing up the ubuntu-desktop metapackage -- name a brute-force method to deal a low blow to your package management system, and Automatix does it in ways that make developers cringe.

This is not usually a problem initially, but eventually you end up paying the piper; when it's time to update to the next version, things break, and it's Automatix's fault. A large portion of problems people experienced moving from Dapper to Edgy were caused by Automatix; Automatix refused to support those problems, and claimed it was our fault. I don't have a problem with Automatix existing, but until they take responsibility for the problems they cause, I'm not going to go recommending it to users. It does more harm than good.

Re:Automatix? Ugh

[Anonymous Coward]

I agree - I cringed when I read that - irresponsible!

I've used EasyUbuntu and the MediUbuntu repositories to get all the same jobs done safely - I would recommend those options instead of Automatix

Re:Automatix? Ugh

[Minwee]

And yet it still causes less damage to your system than Automatix.

Re:Automatix? Ugh

[physicsnick]

Exactly. The only reason 90% of people use Automatix is to install codecs, but it's actually easier to install codecs directly than it is to install Automatix. Here's where you should go to install codecs:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormat s

Here's the important part:

Click Applications Add/Remove. In the top right, change the setting to "All available applications". Then select Other in the left panel and then select the Ubuntu restricted extras package. Click OK.
To play most DVDs you'll need the libdvdcss2 package. This package is available using Medibuntu. This is a third party package, and not supported by Canonical. Here's a direct link to libdvdcss2:
i386: http://medibuntu.sos-sts.com/repo/pool/feisty/free /i386/libdvdcss2_1.2.9-2medibuntu2+build1_i386.deb
amd64: http://medibuntu.sos-sts.com/repo/pool/feisty/free /amd64/libdvdcss2_1.2.9-2medibuntu2+build1_amd64.d eb

Save it to your desktop, then right click and hit Install. That's all you need to do to get codecs for everything. Please, people, avoid Automatix.

Re:Automatix? Ugh

[Knuckles]

Given that Feisty will automatically prompt you to install all codecs you will ever need, and the minimal rest (mainly dvd decryption and w32codecs if you prefer xine/mplayer over gstreamer) is in medibuntu, Automatix seems superfluous to me.

Re:Automatix? Ugh

[physicsnick]

Oops, forgot w32codecs for Windows Media Audio/Video and Realplayer. Here's a deb for i386:

http://www.debian-multimedia.org/pool/main/w/w32co decs/w32codecs_20061022-0.0_i386.deb

Save to desktop, right-click install. It's built for Debian, but it works for Ubuntu just the same. It's what I use and it works great.

Already a great experience by default

[zborro]

Nice to see tips for the newbies to help them set up the system in the way they like best,
but I feel that the system just after installation is already really usable and reliable.
If you are not an expert and you start to turn on Beryl and to play with Synaptic...
I believe that a lot of people will be going back to windows because their system has become
unusable.

Once you're ready to take off, you will discover by yourself these great features.

Just my idea.
marco

if you are running a laptop you should not upgrade

[Anonymous Coward]

there is a show stopper bug in either the kernel or driver for the ata2 interface.

it's confirmed now that on many laptops the kernel has to restart the ata2 interface intermittently and thereby lock up your system for up to 30 seconds at a time essentially rendering your laptop useless.

stay on lts or edgy for the time being until this bug is fixed:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-so urce-2.6.20/+bug/107271

Tip #8

[EveryNickIsTaken]

"Wanna play with my Fiesty Fawn?" should never be used as a pick-up line.

Re:My tip...

[just_another_sean]

Linux needs to mature faster than the jerks coming up with the names

Why? It's grown up nicely with me since 1995. Your whole post is predicated on the idea that the original developers of FOSS just want to make money off it. Usually they don't; they do it for fun, because they love computers, to help out their fellow man, the list goes on and in some cases probably includes making money. But not usually in my experience.

Companies that repackage it all and want to make money may want to spend some time studying branding and marketing but the GNU people aren't trying to sell you anything. They give it to you, no charge, including the blessing to make your own money off it if you choose/can succeed. If you think you can sell GNU software under some fancy name then I will be happy to give your distro a try when it's released. I like to try them all! But you can also be sure I will go back to using my Sarges and Etches and my Drakes and Fawns if your distro ends up sucking, even if you do come up with a clever name.

Great. How to screw up your system

[oxfletch]

So the article is basically "How to install a bunch of shit that wasn't installed by default for good reasons". Not a good idea.

Binary drivers that are completely unsupportable.
A package manager that conflict with the default one.
3D whiz-bang eye candy that's unstable, and requires yet more binary drivers to get 3D.

Magic.

Re:Linux: Not There Yet

[fimbulvetr]

How long is your list for vista/xp?

Xp:

Step 1: Pray you have SP2 to enable firewall.
Step 2: Install 80+ updates. Reboot at least 4 times, probably one crash at least.
Step 3: Install all drivers for all hardware.
Step 4: Download and install A/V software. Suffer 10% performance penalty until the end of time.
Step 5: Download and install browser.
Step 6: Download and install decent text editor.
Step 7: Download and install cd burning software.
Step 8: Download and install dvd playing software.
Step 9: Download and install video software.
Step 10: Download and install music playing software.
Step 11: Disable tons of services in mmc services panel.

Jesus, we're not even close to done. All of these take quite a bit more time than the 7 steps outlined above, and nowhere near as stable...

Re:if you are running a laptop you should not upgr

[MagicM]

And gluing a penny to the top of your PC lets you use imported software.

It's true! Try it!

Re:Upgrade From Edgy?

[physicsnick]

Here is the official guide from ubuntu.com: http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/upgrading

First make sure your computer is fully up to date (with Edgy). Then follow these instructions:

1. Open System -> Administration -> Update Manager
2. A button on the top of the window will appear, informing you of the availability of the new release
3. Click Upgrade
4. Follow the on-screen instructions

That page also has a link on how to upgrade manually from a command-line, but it's not recommended.

Re:Linux: Not There Yet

[wezeldog]

Step 0 (nil?): If you are installing on a Serial ATA/SCSI drive, grab an old 3.5" Floppy drive out of a box in the garage and install it in 'cause setup is only going look for a floppy drive at A: (Or you can slipstream them into your own installer CD. Of course, you would need a functioning OS for that.) I think drive letters are great!!!

Re:BS: Already a great experience by default

[fimbulvetr]

the nvidia-glx-new package supports the 8xxx cards. There's a long story behind why it's called new, and it's all right here:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-re stricted-modules-2.6.20/+bug/96430

Don't blame launchpad for the funkiness, they had to work around nvidia's move of de-supporting a huge amount of cards that are still currently very popular.

NDISwrapper is the path of madness

[Hoplite3]

Save yourself sanity. Don't use devices that only have windows drivers running through NDISwrapper. You'll get only a tiny fraction of the functionality, it'll break all the time. My experience has been that devices with in-kernel drivers are worth whatever premium. Always get the intel wireless on your laptop.

NDIS is the lowest level of hardware "support" in Linux. If Stallman warns about binary blobs or nonfree drivers because you don't know what the code is and the drivers stop working after the company stops maintaining them ... just image how terrible it is when you are using another OS's buggy binary-only driver. You have that mental image. Now add demons pouring acid down your throat. You're approaching the reality of NDISwrapper. I think half-broken internet access is worse than no access. You just get tempted to believe that you can really get whatever from the net, only to find that when you count on connectivity, it breaks.

Who is this PC World joker, anyway?

VMware Tip

[yoshi_mon]

After installing the VMware tools the scroll wheel on most mice will become disabled. To fix this:

1. sudo -i (To become root.)
2. nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf (Or with what ever text editor you wish.)
3. In the Section "InputDevice" for your mouse change the line under "Protocol" that says, "ps/2" to "ImPS/2".
4. Restart X. (ctrl-alt-backspace, reboot, etc)

Re:In all honesty..

[mhall119]

* Automatic codec installation is new and very helpful for multi-media.
* Restricted driver manager, helpful for those who need proprietary drivers (helped me with nvidia).
* Upstart, makes boot time much faster.
* Upstream upgrades for Linux Kernel, Gnome, Evolution, OpenOffice, Xorg, Gaim (I think) and many others.

Maybe not as big a difference as there is upgrading from WinXP to Vista, but then again Ubuntu 6.10 (Edgy) was only released 6 months ago, not 6 years ago like XP.

Re:My tip...

[dan828]

Linux Mint. An Ubuntu based distro that uses French female release names. The latest release is Bianca and the next one will be Casandra. So you can tell you parents it's Mint Linux, Bianca, as opposed to Ubuntu, Feisty Fawn. Also, the blue/green theme it uses out of the box looks nicer than the orange/brown of Ubuntu.

http://linuxmint.com//

Re:My tip... and I resent being labeled a troll...

[CreatureComfort]

Yeah, because it's so hard to figure out the proper versioning sequence of Dapper Drake, Edgy Eft, and Feisty Fawn...

Re:fiesty isnt ready

[Knuckles]

ATi refuses to release basic specs for some cards (e.g., my X1300), so the free ati driver cannot support them. Just choose the proprietary ATi driver.