Living with Linux, #2

It was a lot of fun to customize theme, window manager, fonts, workspaces and other stuff that can be customized without using command line too much. Now I feel myself rather comfortable with XFCE environment and know how to setup basic look'n'feel.
The most fun was trying various p2p network clients (my favourite network type is Direct Connect). I have tried few clients that come as source distributions - not able to compile no-one. Some problems with library dependencies - need more experience to compile Linux software. Then I have taken a look into Synaptic Package Manager, and the first client I have found - Valknut. I don't like it at all - it somehow takes a lot space on the screen displaying a little info at the same time and the overall impression after using it isn't very optimistic. My favourite RevConnect was much-much better :< The second one was MLDonkey which is absolute geek software - default way to use this piece of software is to execute this client as daemon, it runs a little web-server and you access it via your browser. It supports many p2p networks, and Direct Connect is amongst them, but I can't realize how to use it :<

Comments on todo's from #1:

-Add Cyrillic support
+it was very easy with XFCE Settings manager. However, I don't know how to add cyrillic outside of X Window system, but I don't need it.

-Learn how to install programs, the first candidate is Skype
+again, very easy - skype.com have skype .deb installation for Debian Linux derivatives (which xUbuntu is). Default way to install software here - via "apt" utility set or with GUI "apt" wrapper - Synaptic package manager. Some info about how you can install software in Linux

-Try to watch movies :> I'm watching House M.D. now
+Very easy, there is functionall poor but usable default multimedia app - Totem Movie Player, which downloaded all the needed codecs automatically.

-Install adequate Office program pack (Is it StarOffice?)
+OMG, forgot about this. It will be OpenOffice, I think no problem arise.

I'll continue to use xUbuntu, now time has come to do some programming stuff for my university (I'll need to setup Eclipse and all the Java-related stuff,Apache,MySQL etc.). Also I'll check what the opportunities exist to use my PC remotely. And of course - understand how can I use those geeky p2p clients.

Living with Linux, #1

Hi all!

I have decided that I should try Linux seriously, as primary and only operating system. There is UNIX course in my current Latvian University studying program which encouraged me to switch my mind to another alternative to Windows.

I have experimented with UNIX/Linux earlier, some five or six years ago - it was FreeBSD 4.x. I remember that it have taken me some time to customize and run X-window system successfully (as I remember it was KDE 1.x). My display was damaged due to somehow-badly customized refresh rates :D It have taken me some time to successfully recompile kernel to get sound card working :> Then I have never returned to UNIX/Linux world after this experiments with FreeBSD. It was very valuable experience - I have understood that Windows is very nice and comfortable operating system, not "must die" as many can say about it (and continue to using it).

So, I have chosen to try xUbuntu - it's Ubuntu lightweight derivative with XFCE as X-Window system. As I heard Ubuntu is very user-friendly, so it should be nice alternative to person who was working with Windows almost all the time.

First impressions - nice and cute system, very friendly. No problems with installation. Some useful software installed by default - Gimp, Firefox. No serial number :>

TODO for first time:

-Add Cyrillic support
-Learn how to install programs, the first candidate is Skype
-Try to watch movies :> I'm watching House M.D. now
-Install adequate Office program pack (Is it StarOffice?)

That's it.