Intrepid Ibex! Let's customize

Cool, the newest version of Ubuntu is out.

Here is a record of how I am changing/adding to my version of Ubuntu. or What to do now that you've installed Intrepid Ibex. This is more than a tutorial to get software, this is an instruction book to get things done. I am going to let you know what you are doing, because most of this is basic type stuff that you should be mildly familiar with.

Plug in the Internet, and grab any updates

*ok, just to get this out of the way; This walk-through is pretty thorough, but if a window pops up “Package Installer” and it has a button that says “Install Package?” then click that button. When it is done installing (and it will say it is done), click close (it will usually be the only button you can press). You see what I'm saying? I'm going to hold your hand, but I won't change your diaper. I describe what each piece of software is for, if you think you might not need it don't download it. Oky dokey, let's hit the ground running.

Add Some Software
Applications > Add/Remove Programs
Change “Show” to “All available applications” at the top of this window

You can go through most of the higher starred software/codecs, but here is what I would recommend atleast:

• K3B - for all of my cd/dvd burning needs

To be able to burn mp3 to audio cd visit apt://libk3b3-extracodecs
(Thanks to ubuntu-unleashed)

• VLC Player -because it is the best media player out there

• Skype -Let's you use your computer like a telephone to call ppl!

• Advanced Desktop Effects- Compiz Graphical Userface -for making your computer do pretty visual things (don't worry, we'll edit this later so that your windows don't wiggle)

• 7zip -This is necessary to uncompress certain files, it is better to just install it now than worry about it later

• Gstreamer -Install all of these that you can find, they let you watch DVDs and play MP3s, they are not open source formats, and that is Ubuntu's excuse for not having them preinstalled

• Microsoft Core Fonts -it is dumb, but needed

• Pidgin -like AIM and Google Chat all rolled into one

• Sun Java 6.0 Plugin

• Sun Java 6 runtime

Software to uninstall
I may have missed a few because of poor note-keeping, so I will update this later, these uninstallations are done in Synaptic Manager as well

• Brasero Disc Burning We are using K3B instead

• Ekiga Softphone We are using Skype instead

• Transmission We are using Vuze instead, you may like this more than Vuze, but whatever it sucks in my book

Sucky installs
And now the software that is a bit more trouble to get a hold of:

• Crossover Office -codeweavers.com and look for the Debian / Ubuntu install package (32bit) This will let us run Office, and Photoshop
  

• Crossover Games -codeweavers.com and look for the Debian / Ubuntu install package (32bit) For games like the awesome Counter Strike: Source
  

• Picasa 3 for Linux http://picasa.google.com/linux/ On the next page look for the link that ends in “i386.deb” this is for you to click on ;-)

• Google Desktop - http://desktop.google.com/en/linux/download.html You'll be going with “for Debian/Ubuntu x86” When you download this just open, do not save. It will go straight to package installer for you. If it doesn't then you didn't get a good download, just go back and do it again.
  Once it is done go to Applications > Google Desktop > Google Desktop Preferences. Help improve their service (check the box! Do it!) and agree.
  Firefox will fire up, click on the “Gmail” tab click the Index box, and enter your info. Click on the “Display” tab and change the default search type to “Desktop”, tell it you want 10 results, search by default, 50 results per page in browser, change the hotkey to your super key (windows icon button, it's between alt and ctrl usually... nobody uses it, don't lie to yourself. It's more useless than the Insert key). Save that bad boy and let's keep rolling.

• flash -This is gonna let you view pretty videos on youtube http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
  

The following two are tricky and thus get their own posts so as not to eat up too much space over here
Songbird (links to other blog post) This is a music player that runs like iTunes (miss it?) and plays nice with your iPod
Vuze (link to other blog post) This is a kickbutt bittorrent downloader (torrents are the files pirates use to share music/movies/anything)

Software Tweaks: See if you would like these and click on over to the blog post
Changing the default saving of Open Office to the Microsoft Office standards, everyone can read doc So let's do it.

Changing Compiz to the most useful settings in the world, or how I got rid of all the overkill and still left Ubuntu looking pretty.

Firefox: Fire up the fox, Tools > Add-Ons > Get Add-Ons
Must Haves (most require reboots and will ask questions after):

• Adblock Plus -blocks all the advertisements that pop up on pages, you can always allow ads by clicking on the stop sign at the top of the page. Or you can block things by right clicking on them and telling adblock to block. Add whatever the top/recommended list is for your area.
• Customize Google -take some time going through this, but for gods sake get rid of ads
• Stealther

I Like:

• StumbleUpon: for finding and sharing websites
• Delicious Bookmarks: If you need to access your bookmarks from multiple sites this is a great tool.

Reboot like it asks you (don't worry it will restore your tabs, and thus this page).



and finally send a self addressed and stamped envelope to the following address to get a nifty "powered by Ubuntu" sticker.
System76, Inc. (Free Sticker)
1582 S. Parker Rd. Ste. 310
Denver, Colorado 80231