This year my one-and-only New Year's resolution was to begin the transition to open-source software in general and Linux in particular. I thought I was just setting out to learn a new operating system. In fact, I was entering an entirely new world of computing.
My Linux education began with a lesson in community. I struggled to get Ubuntu, my distribution (or "distro") of choice, to recognize either of my two wireless adapters. One of many comments to the blog post in which I described my wireless woes pointed me to a program that got me connected in no time.
Not long after that, I spent the better part of an afternoon troubleshooting my inability to get Flash animations to play on my Linux laptop. I found the solution on one of the Web's many informative Linux user forums (there's more about these resources below). The site listed all the "extras" I had to download and install. The process taught me that Linux is an on-demand operating system that bundles only software that's truly free (which excludes Adobe's Flash Player and most other media players).
It's more than a product; it's a movement
I soon realized that many long-time Linux users have an emotional connection to the OS, and I don't mean the anger and frustration that Windows veterans feel whenever their PCs flake off. I once made the newbie mistake of referring to "Ubuntu" when I was really talking about the Gnome interface that's used with many different versions of Linux. The erroneous reference made many Linux veterans cringe, and I understand their pain. The prospect of Windows users bringing their preconceived notions of personal computing into the open-source community must be frightening for them.
The ability to apply different interfaces to the OS was a novel concept after years of the Windows monolith. KDE, Gnome, and Xfce are the most popular Linux graphical interfaces, most of which are based on the X Window System, but many hard-core Linux users stick with its command-line interface, which harkens back to DOS. Instead of taking whatever features Microsoft offers, Linux lets you mix and match components and functions to meet your needs and fit your style.
Looking to each other for support
There's something down-right neighborly about the effort so many Linux users make to help other people who rely on the OS. Yes, you'll find no shortage of help sites by and for Windows users on the Web, but in the end it's up to Microsoft to keep the operating system safe and steady. Even though much of the Linux advice is developer-to-developer, I have found answers to many of my Linux questions in various forums dedicated to the open-source OS.
One of the most complete and up-to-date Linux resources on the Web is Linux Forums, which covers all aspects of living in the open-source world and includes plenty of useful tutorials.
The Linux Forums site provides many useful tutorials for new Linux users.
(Credit: Linux Forums)Another great site for Linux tutorials is LinuxQuestions.org, which cover hardware, software, networking, and security. The site's wiki includes a comprehensive "Getting Started" section.
More advanced Linux tutorials are found on HowtoForge, though most of the threads in the site's forums seem to lead nowhere. There are plenty of resources for Linux beginners at the YoLinux Information Portal, as well as security updates for various distros and links to other Linux-related sites.
Finally, to keep abreast of the latest happenings in the Linux world, check out the Linux Foundation, which recently published a white paper on development of the Linux kernel.
Tomorrow: get more power out of your notebook computer's battery.
Perhaps the greatest single productivity-boosting feature in Linux is the ability to open several virtual desktops at one time. This allows you to create separate work environments for various simultaneous tasks, such as one with a word processor, image editor, and spreadsheet open for creating a report, and another with e-mail and browser windows active for keeping in touch with co-workers. The multiple desktops let you focus on the task at hand without interruption, but switch to your other active workspace with a single click.
By default, the Gnome interface used by Ubuntu 7.10 allows only two virtual desktops at one time, though this number can be increased to as many as 36. To add more desktops, right-click the Workplace Switcher icon in the bottom-right corner of the Gnome desktop and choose Preferences. (If you don't see the Workplace Switcher icon, right-click the panel, choose Add to Panel, and click Workplace Switcher in the Desktop & Windows section. You may also want to add the Window Selector applet, which offers another option for switching between your open workspaces.)
Make sure "Show all workspaces in (blank) rows" is selected, and set the number of rows you want the workspace-icons to appear in. Click the up arrow in the "Number of workspaces" field to add more workspaces, or simply enter a number up to 36. Click one of the entries under "Workspace names" twice slowly (but don't double-click) to rename it, and check "Show workspace names in switcher" to add the name to its panel icon. When you're done, click Close.
Increase the number of virtual desktops available in the Gnome Linux interface via the Workspace Switcher Preferences dialog box.
Move to another desktop by clicking its icon in the panel, or click the Window Selector and choose the one you want to open. You can also press Ctrl and scroll your mouse wheel to navigate from workspace to workspace, or right-click the title bar of an open application and choose one of the "Move" options. To show the program in all workspaces, select Always on Visible Workspace.
Switch between workspaces in the Linux Gnome interface by right-clicking an app's title bar and selecting one of the "Move" options.
You get more ways to customize and access your virtual desktops in KDE, Compiz, and other Linux interfaces, including the ability to change the desktop wallpaper for each environment, and to switch workspaces by pressing Ctrl-Tab. There are lots of discussion on Linux forums about the pros and cons of various interfaces, but the consensus appears to be that Gnome is the most generic and least troublesome for new users. Since I'm still in that camp, I'll stick with Gnome for now, but I'm wondering whether the extra features might be worth the risk...eventually.
Tomorrow: freeware adds Linux-like virtual desktops to Windows.
The more I use Ubuntu, the more I like it. That's not to say I was happy with the operating system's default start-up settings, however. Here are three Ubuntu tweaks that speed up the start of my workday.
Do away with the log-in
I'm the only one using the ancient laptop I installed Ubuntu on, and I don't feel the need to keep interlopers off it, so I set it to start without requiring a log-in ID and password. To cancel the log-in, click System > Administration > Login Window, enter your password, and select the Security tab in the Login Windows Preferences dialog box. Choose your ID in the User drop-down menu, and click Close. The next time you start Ubuntu, the OS will load without prompting you for a username and password. You'll still have to enter your password to access Administration tools, however.
Set Ubuntu to start without prompting for a username and password via this option in the Login Window Preferences dialog box.
Add shortcuts to the top panel of the desktop
One of my favorite Ubuntu applications is the Tomboy note-taker, but opening it by clicking Applications > Accessories > Tomboy Notes takes too long. Instead, I added a shortcut to the program on the panel that runs across the top of the screen, much like Windows' Quick Launch toolbar reversed. To do so, right-click an empty area of the panel, choose Add to Panel, select the program you want to add in the list of Accessories, or scroll down the page to the Desktop & Windows, System & Hardware, or Utilities section, click Add at the bottom of the window, and close it.
Add shortcuts to your favorite Ubuntu apps by selecting them in the Add to Panel dialog box and clicking Add.
Keep your favorite app window on top
Now that I have my notepad at the ready on my desktop, I want to keep other windows I open from obfuscating it. A nice feature of Ubuntu that Windows lacks (unless you tweak the Registry or download a separate always-on-top utility) is the ability to keep a window on top of all others. Just right-click the bar along the top of the window, and select Always on Top from the drop-down menu.
Right-click the top of a program's window in Ubuntu and choose Always on Top to keep it in view as new windows open.
Bonus tip: Get a snapshot of your system performance by adding a mini System Monitor window to your panel: Right-click the panel, choose Add to Panel, scroll down to and select System Monitor, and click Add and Close. Now you can get a continuous glimpse of your system activity, though you may have to squint to make out the miniscule green blips in the tiny black rectangle that appears.
Tomorrow: Tell-tale signs of a Web site's trustworthiness.
One of the first things I noticed after using Ubuntu for a while was how snappy the OS is, especially compared to Windows Vista (which in my experience can't even keep up with its predecessor XP). Then I poked around the Linux forums a little bit and found out that I could work even faster in Ubuntu by changing some default settings, and using a few of the OS's unique keyboard shortcuts.
Start at the beginning by disabling the auto-start Ubuntu apps that you don't need. For example, the ancient laptop I run Ubuntu on has no Bluetooth connection, so I don't need the Bluetooth Manager applet that loads with the OS. To disable this and other unneeded startup programs, click System > Preferences > Sessions, and uncheck the programs you don't use. Other candidates for disabling are the Evolution Alarm Notifier, the Restricted Drivers Manager, Tracker (the search and indexing service), User folders update, and Visual.
Speed Ubuntu's startup by disabling the auto-start apps you don't need.
Another way to cut back on the interface overhead is to disable visual effects: Click System > Preferences > Appearance, select the Visual Effects tab, and choose None.
Pare down the overhead in Ubuntu by disabling unnecessary visual effects.
One thing Ubuntu and Windows have in common is their tendency to run more services than you need. To trim the services overhead in Ubuntu, click System > Administration > Services, and uncheck any unnecessary entries. Just as in Windows, be careful not to disable a required service. In my case, I unchecked Bluetooth device management (bluetooth) and Printer service (cupsys), the former because my laptop lacks Bluetooth capability, and the latter because it isn't connected to any printers. You'll find a list of common Ubuntu services, along with a brief description and advice for leaving them on or turning them off, at this Ubuntu Forum.
Keep Ubuntu running at top speed by disabling unneeded services.
Navigate faster in Ubuntu via keyboard shortcuts: Several of the most popular keyboard shortcuts in Windows work in Ubuntu as well, such as Ctrl-C to copy, Ctrl-V to paste, and Ctrl-S to save a file. Here are a few others for working faster in Ubuntu and its apps:
Alt-F1 opens the Applications menu, then use the arrow keys to navigate the submenus.
Alt-F2 opens the Run Application dialog box.
Alt-F3 opens the Deskbar Applet (F3 opens the search bar at the bottom of the window).
Alt-F4 closes the current window.
Alt-F5 unmaximizes the current window (if it's maximized, of course).
Alt-F7, followed by arrow keys or mouse movement, adjusts the current window's position.
Alt-F8 resizes the current window.
Alt-F9 minimizes the current window.
Alt-F10 maximizes the current window.
Alt-spacebar opens the window menu.
Alt-Tab moves between open windows.
Ctrl-Alt-Tab moves between open panels on the desktop.
Ctrl-W closes the current window.
Ctrl-Q closes the current application.
Here are some keyboard shortcuts for working in the Terminal window:
Ctrl-C kills the current process.
Ctrl-Z sends the current process to the background.
Ctrl-D logs you out.
Ctrl-R finds the last command matching the entered letters.
Tab followed by entered letters lists the available commands beginning with those letters.
Ctrl-U deletes the current line.
Ctrl-K deletes from the cursor right.
Ctrl-W deletes the word before the cursor.
Ctrl-L clears the terminal output.
Shift-Insert pastes the contents of the clipboard.
Alt-F moves forward one word.
Alt-B moves backward one word.
Adjust your keyboard shortcuts: Ubuntu makes it easy to customize your shortcuts. Click System > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts, select one of the shortcuts in the list, and enter your preferred keystroke combination. You can also alter your keyboard accessibility options by clicking System > Preferences > Universal Access > Keyboard Accessibility. Here you can enable and adjust the timing for sticky keys, repeat keys, slow keys, bounce keys, toggle keys, and mouse keys (these convert your numeric keypad into mouse controls).
Tomorrow: Diagnose Office crashes.
I'm starting to wonder if anything about Linux is going to be easy. But I remain undaunted in my efforts to use Ubuntu 7.10, or Gutsy Gibbon, to accomplish the same computing tasks for which I use Windows. Now that I've got Flash and QuickTime working in Ubuntu, I feel like I'm nearly there.
I say "nearly" because I'm still running into some glitches, this week relating to getting the full suite of updates available for Gutsy installed. The update failure is a minor inconvenience compared to the crashes I experienced last week whenever I tried to run a Flash or QuickTime video.
After poking around the Linux forums, I found out that Ubuntu installs a la carte: only the truly free supporting software is included in the default installation, which excludes proprietary media players such as Adobe's Flash and Apple's QuickTime. To get these restricted formats to play, you have to install a set of files called ubuntu-restricted-extras.
Once I got them loaded, I checked the Synaptic Package Manager and found their listing. I still had to find, download, and install the Flash Player for Linux. I'm not going to complain about the multiple steps required, though. Compared to Windows' kitchen sink approach to software installation and updating, I'm coming to appreciate Ubuntu's download-as-needed philosophy.
To get Flash, QuickTime, and other proprietary media players to work in Ubuntu, you have to install a set of files manually.
After I reopened Firefox, the Flash and QuickTime files that previously sent Ubuntu into a tailspin ran without a hitch. Even though the process took me about three hours of searching, downloading, installing, downloading some more, and installing some more, I'm becoming familiar with the operating system.
Using Ubuntu's Terminal applet for system maintenance is similar to the old DOS days of living on the command line. You won't save much time initially when you switch from Windows to Ubuntu, but once you get used to the Linux style of computing, I bet you'll spend more time working and less time futzing with your "tools".
That's not to say everything's peachy for me on Linux Street: right now, the update notification icon keeps telling me that there's an update available, but when I run the Update Manager, the file xserver-xorg-core won't download. It's a minor annoyance, I know, but when I close the error dialog box, the updater keeps prompting me to download the update. I have no idea how important the file is--or whether I really need it. All I know is that I can't get it.
Ubuntu's Update Manager can't download a file the Notification alert recommends that you install.
Apart from this minor annoyance, I'm pretty happy about the progress I've made as a Linux neophyte. I'm a long way from wiping Windows off the drives of my other PCs, but it's a heck of a start.
Tomorrow: Five super Office add-ons.
Readers to the rescue!
The first thing you learn when you write about technology is that the people who read your stuff are smarter than you'll ever be. So let me start by saying "Thank you" to all the Linux users who responded to last Friday's post on my travails trying to get Ubuntu 7.10, or "Gutsy Gibbon," to recognize my Linksys WPC300N wireless adapter.
The first suggestions I tried were the ones that didn't entail installing a new app, though ultimately a free download was the fastest and simplest solution. I started by disabling remote mode, as recommended by "argraff." Unfortunately, the adapter stayed silent. "PasterEdB" advised me to add a command to my kernel boot-up options. This might have worked, if I wasn't such a Linux "noob" that I couldn't find the options in question (yes, I'd appreciate someone instructing me how to do so, and thank you in advance).
Two other readers said they had similar wireless problems that were solved by purchasing a $30 program (so much for freeware), and by disabling one of Ubuntu's built-in apps and reloading NDISWrapper. Some suggested I try a different Linux distro, or buy a laptop with Linux pre-installed.
The solution that worked for me was posted by kingargyle1, who recommended that I download WiFi Radar. Just seconds after I installed the program the Linksys adapter sprung to life. I popped in the network password, opened Firefox, and had my Gmail inbox open in no time. If I were a true geek I would've started poking around to determine how the program managed the trick, but I'd rather simply start browsing and offer my heartfelt thanks to the benevolent geniuses who wrote the program and made it available for free. And of course, my undying fealty goes out to kingargyle1 for the help: Long may you reign!
The cure for my Ubuntu wireless-adapter woes was the free WiFi Radar utility, which got me connected in minutes.
I know it's just my newbieness showing, but now that everything's working (apparently), it feels like my six-year-old laptop has been reborn. Now the true test: I'll spend the next few days using it as my lone computer (or nearly so), and report on my Ubuntu experience next Friday.
Monday: The five most useful features hiding in Microsoft Word.
It didn't take long after installing Canonical Ltd.'s Ubuntu 7.10 version of Linux for me to decide I liked what I saw. A quick tour of the Applications, Places, and System menus indicated that converting from Windows to Linux would be relatively seemless. The only fly in the ointment was my inability to get any of three wireless adapters to work with the OS.
World-class applications without paying a dime
I expected to find the Mozilla Firefox browser bundled with Ubuntu, and seeing links on the Applications*Office menu to OpenOffice.org's Database, Presentation, Spreadsheet, and Word Processor apps--all of which are compatible with their Microsoft Office equivalents--was no surprise. But some of Ubuntu's other built-in programs were a nice bonus: the F-Spot Photo Manager, GIMP Image Editor, OpenOffice.org Drawing app, and XSane Image Scanner give you all the graphics functions you're likely to need; and for audio and video processing, you get Movie Player, Rhythmbox Music Player, Serpentine Audio CD-Creator, Sound Juicer CD Extractor, and Sound Recorder.
[Cue late-night-TV announcer] But wait, there's more! For VoIP, use the Ekiga Softphone app; for e-mail, there's the popular Evolution open-source program; and when the IM bug bites, open the Pidgen client (previously known as Gaim), which supports just about every IM system out there. You also get about a dozen games, including Blackjack, Sudoku, and a Tetris knockoff; there's even a version of my favorite time-waster, Mahjongg.
Fly in the Ubuntu ointment: Wireless woes
"Too good to be true," I'm thinking as I work my way through Ubuntu's many options. And indeed I hit the wall when I tried to connect to my wireless network. The Linksys WPC300N PCMCIA adapter worked without a hitch when I booted the laptop in XP, but Ubuntu didn't recognize it. I searched the many Ubuntu forums for a solution and found that the Ndiswrapper utilities I needed to mimic the adapter's Windows driver weren't enabled. I tried the adapter again after enabling the wrappers, but still got nowhere. Next I downloaded and installed the Ndisgtk utility that lets you install device drivers without having to deal with the command line in Ubuntu's Terminal application.
Enable the Ndiswrapper utilities, and download and install Ndisgtk, to allow Windows wireless-adapter drivers to work in Ubuntu.
I copied the driver files from their CD to the Ubuntu desktop, and then pointed to the appropriate .inf file in the Wireless Network Drivers utility it added (via the System*Administration*Windows Wireless Drivers shortcut that Ndisgtk provides). I now had a "Wireless connection" option in the Network Settings window (see below), but no matter how I configured the connection, I couldn't log onto my wireless network.
After enabling the Ndiswrapper utilities and installing the Windows drivers for the wireless adapter, Ubuntu recognized the wireless network, though it wouldn't connect to it.
After going through the same process with another PCMCIA card and a USB wireless adapter and getting the same results, I decided to do some more trolling for a solution on the Linux forums. I tried several of the suggestions offered by forum denizens, but nothing worked. That's when I decided to stick with the wired Ethernet link, which connected to the network right away.
While the wireless glitches made me glad I dual-booted Ubuntu with Windows (so I could simply load Windows when I needed to connect to a wireless network), I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to use Ubuntu the same way I use Windows, at least not until I figure out why I couldn't get Ubuntu to establish a wireless link. I haven't given up hope of replacing Windows with Linux, but neither am I willing to spend hours searching for a solution to a problem I can avoid simply by loading Windows.
Monday: Save time and trouble by partitioning your hard drive.
Running Linux from a CD in Windows doesn't get you much closer to computing in a Windows-less world. To make Windows and Linux and either-or proposition, you have to set your PC to dual-boot. With Canonical Ltd.'s Ubuntu 7.10, a.k.a. Gutsy Gibbon, the repartitioning is done for you during installation.
Before you install Ubuntu, create a full system backup. Creating a system restore point may not be sufficient, because a misstep during installation could render Windows unbootable. Make sure that you've got your restore CD/DVD handy, and that your system is set to boot from its CD/DVD drive.
Once your backup is completed, insert the Ubuntu installation CD and restart your system. When the Ubuntu logo appears, the option to Start or Install Ubuntu will be selected. Press Enter, or wait 30 seconds for the installation to begin on its own. This runs the OS from the CD. To install it on your hard drive, double-click the Install icon in the top-left corner of the screen that appears after Ubuntu finishes loading.
The first of the seven-step installation asks you to select a language, the next to choose a location, and the third to pick your keyboard layout. Now you're ready to set your disk partitions for dual-booting. You can let Ubuntu do the partitioning by going with the Guided - resize option that's selected by default. This sets the new partition size automatically. You can also choose to set the partition sizes manually by choosing the Manual option.
Once you've set your partitions, you're given the option to migrate some of your Windows settings to Ubuntu. Select the user account, and the folders you wish to make available to your Ubuntu account (you'll also create an Ubuntu account and password to import the folders to). When the account is complete, you'll see a summary of the options you selected. Click Install to confirm the choices and begin the installation. When all the files are loaded, you'll be prompted to restart your PC.
When the PC restarts, you'll see a menu of your OS choices, one of which will be Windows. Make your selection, and get to work.
Tomorrow: Troubleshooting Ubuntu hardware glitches, and getting to know the OS's applications.
This is the year I kiss Windows good-bye. Well, maybe not entirely, but the writing is on the wall for Microsoft's flagship operating system, and all other desktop bloatware: The future of PC software is open source. (I'll add that the future of PC applications is on the Web, which I'll cover once we've got Ubuntu in place.)
Being the belts-and-suspenders type, I'll make the conversion from proprietary to open in baby steps, the first of which is to get a copy of Ubuntu 7.1 (a.k.a. Gutsy Gibbon), the version of Linux from Canonical Ltd. that has a reputation for being complete, well supported, and easy to use. I know the OS only by reputation, however. Wikipedia provides a comprehensive comparison of Linux versions.
There are three ways to get an Ubuntu installation CD: Download the distro and burn it to a CD, buy a copy at Amazon ($13 plus shipping), or request a free CD by mail (allow six to 10 weeks for delivery).
If you go the download route, be patient: The program is 700MB, so even over a broadband link it will take some time to complete. The download is an ISO file required to make an installation CD. Look for an option in your CD-burning application called "Burn from Disk Image" or something similar.
If you use Windows XP, you may need to download Alex Feinman's ISO Recorder utility. The program is free, but the author requests donations. Insert a blank CD in the drive. ISO Recorder should open the CD Recording wizard automatically when the download completes, but if it doesn't, right-click the ISO file you just downloaded and choose Copy Image to CD. Click Next, and complete the recording.
With your Ubuntu installation CD in hand, you're ready to take the OS for a test drive.
Tomorrow: Run Ubuntu from the CD, or create a drive partition for dual-booting the OS with Windows.
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