linux + ubuntu = screaming slayer

T

The Slayer

Poster Extraordinaire
as some of u guys know, i got a new laptop. probably the worst in eGO. but that does'nt matter, I just wanted to experiment with it. so i got linux (ubuntu). now i suck with linux and ubuntu :p. So does anyone here uses ubuntu so u guys can tell me main stuff like how to delete software, reinstall, install, how to find and all that stuff. I downloaded pidgin to use msn on it. But, i start it, and it keeps tellin me that it lost connection. I can get on the internet tough :p so any hints and tips for ubuntu?
 
The easiest way to get software is to open your menu, and use the Package Manager. It will save you lots of time
 
well, i tried. i asked to lssniper how to. and he repleid, reinstall it. I removed it, but then i can't reinstall it --'. Imma scream --'
 
Before you rage and return that thing, install Wine for now, you will keep your sanity with a familiar Windows desktop you can fall back on while you figure things out in linux. Search for Wine in your package manager or install it via the command line: apt-get install wine. Read up on man pages and forums. Welcome to a whole new system, there is definitely a learning curve. If you're patient, try learning CLI and figuring out how things work that way.
 
Ubuntu is made for the GUI look, or, in other terms, made for "beginners" rather than the "pros". With that being said, you should look up on YouTube what you can do with Ubuntu. In my opinion, it's the best distro to start out with.

Like above mentioned, use the Package Manager + Wine to get all your stuff down. :)
Goodluck!
 
really i wouldn't recommend wine you can get native apps to do almost anything from the distro's package manager expect for games which run like crap on wine.
 
Last edited:
Passerby said:
really i wouldn't recommend wine you can get native apps to do almost anything from the distro's package manager expect for games which run like crap on wine.
Click to expand...

^this. You might as well grab a copy of windows xp if your gonna do that.
 
Welcome to the world of *nix. Your best bet is to go and start learning how to do stuff command line. In my opinion it's actually easier to do everything from command line than to actually use the GUI.

I actually don't use my laptop except in run level 3. I have no need for the GUI really.

I use Fedora 13. It's currently my favorite distro.
 
Applications > Software Center. Search for "wine."

Install "Wine Microsoft Windows Compatibility Layer."
Now you can download windows programs, double click them, and install them. Don't expect everything or anything to work.

Also there's this great website: http://www.ubuntu.com/support

Or, sure, you can grab a copy of XP. I'm sure it's still ~$100.

I'm also not sure telling a guy who titles a thread "linux + ubuntu" to drop the GUI is a great idea.
 
Last edited:
I am an old Unix guy (Dec Ultrix to be exact...DECs' form of BSD) and feel at home with RH's distro. Concur about the command line...but Fedora wouldn't be my choice for a beginning distro. Re-reading your post I see that's not what you suggest - it's just that I just dual-booted F13, and I thought that putting in codec's and such was a pain. I can only imagine what a newbie would think.

I run 3 Linux servers at work, and all are set to rl3 to save resources. Basically I take any old hardware and make it a back up server, DNS...what have you...I run SUSE on the headless boxes, but all my VM's are RH.

I saw the thread on *nix and couldn't resist throwing 2cents in.
 
thelordofruins said:
I am an old Unix guy (Dec Ultrix to be exact...DECs' form of BSD) and feel at home with RH's distro. Concur about the command line...but Fedora wouldn't be my choice for a beginning distro. Re-reading your post I see that's not what you suggest - it's just that I just dual-booted F13, and I thought that putting in codec's and such was a pain. I can only imagine what a newbie would think.

I run 3 Linux servers at work, and all are set to rl3 to save resources. Basically I take any old hardware and make it a back up server, DNS...what have you...I run SUSE on the headless boxes, but all my VM's are RH.

I saw the thread on *nix and couldn't resist throwing 2cents in.
Click to expand...

It's good to see another *nix guy on the forums. Yeah we run Solaris 10 exclusively at work for both our workstations and servers. They force the users to use Common Desktop Environment (CDE) eeew. Java Desktop Environment (JDE) is so much nicer looking, but they uninstalled it for security reasons.

And yeah I never used the built in video player for F13, I just installed VLC. Honestly I mostly use my F13 for a home server. I have my windows box for everything else.

I agree though, Ubuntu is pretty user friendly and is definitely a good first choice.
 
iSimon said:
^this. You might as well grab a copy of windows xp if your gonna do that.
Click to expand...

did you read it i said it is not really a good idea to use wine since there are tons of native apps that in a lot of cases are better than the windows equivalents and wont run buggy because there on a emulated api.

@ShadowBlade72
he's just starting to use the OS so telling him to use runlevel 3 for desktop use will just be very confusing and quickly turn him off on attempting to learn a new OS.

I know rl3 is useful since all my servers are headless with no GUI just rl3 and ssh and even on my desktop install of opensuse i use a lot of cli apps like vim and mutt and in most cases if I need to change system settings it is much faster to go to runlevel3 and use SU and change the configs than using the tools provided in the GUI to do that, but that is only because people like you and me know how the OS works and remembered where everything is kept and how bash works.
 
thelordofruins said:
I am an old Unix guy (Dec Ultrix to be exact...DECs' form of BSD) and feel at home with RH's distro. Concur about the command line...but Fedora wouldn't be my choice for a beginning distro. Re-reading your post I see that's not what you suggest - it's just that I just dual-booted F13, and I thought that putting in codec's and such was a pain. I can only imagine what a newbie would think.

I run 3 Linux servers at work, and all are set to rl3 to save resources. Basically I take any old hardware and make it a back up server, DNS...what have you...I run SUSE on the headless boxes, but all my VM's are RH.

I saw the thread on *nix and couldn't resist throwing 2cents in.
Click to expand...

sound similar on all the servers I administer I run suse as a XEN host with RH guest vm's
 
iSimon said:
^this. You might as well grab a copy of windows xp if your gonna do that.
Click to expand...

that's the whole point, if he's going to rage and quit nix because nothing looks familiar I'd rather he ran a hybrid environment using wine instead. At least then he can dabble in nix while feeling comfortable in windows
 
ronpaul said:
that's the whole point, if he's going to rage and quit nix because nothing looks familiar I'd rather he ran a hybrid environment using wine instead. At least then he can dabble in nix while feeling comfortable in windows
Click to expand...

wine isn't a hybrid environment it allows you to run some windows applications the desktop environment will still be all gnome or kde.

and wine just doesn't work well and is buggy.
 
Depends on what your trying to do on WINE


There's a lot of Linux alternatives now that are similar to windows apps, eliminating the need for WINE as much
 
ronpaul is probably right...comfort with the interface is probably most important for a newbie.

BTW....Shadow - I had a friend who could write awk script from memory (which is extremely useful too) and knew the first 100 or so TCP port services by heart. I was extremely impressed, however I never told him so (my kung-fu is better than your kung-fu!).

I use vm's alot, turnkey linux has some useful ones...and I have never used Solaris - but have always wanted to fire up a VM and check it out.

For reliability and flexibility, there is no other OS that matches *nix. I will say that MS has made strides in scalability...even if it copied ActiveDirectory from OpenLDAP! (Actually its an adoption of what X.500?)

Nuff said.
 
Last edited:
Passerby said:
sound similar on all the servers I administer I run suse as a XEN host with RH guest vm's
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I run my vm's in 2003. But I like open Suse in my boxes and RH in my VM's. Also have some industry specific servers running *gasp* SCO Linux. (Scary Organ Music in the background) FUD indeed.

I was sent to a system admin school for DEC circa (85? maybe) and in huge letters on the wall was

"The user is the enemy"


I kid you not.


May the power of Torvalds be with you all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top