Xubuntu Geek

Conky is a free, light-weight system monitor for X, that displays any information on your desktop. Conky running in Xubuntu 12.04 and using conky2 by ~dinozaur1982 as configuration file. Install Open a terminal window and run: sudo apt-get install conky -y Usage Conky can be accessed by typing the following command: conky . You can use the -c | --config= FILE option to load a configuration file instead of $HOME/.conkyrc . My suggestion is to have a folder with some Conky configuration files and add Conky to session startup [1] typing conky -c path_to_conky_rc as the command. Please don't forget to adjust the configuration file path. Where to get examples Great examples can be found at deviantArt.com . There's also examples at gnome-look.org under the "Other Gnome Stuff" section, but it's easier to just search for "conky". After downloading a Conky configuration file you may have to edit it to make everything work....

Xubuntu 12.10 Quantal Quetzal Alpha 3 has been released. More info can be found on the references. References xubuntu.org

Updated: 17/02/13 On this post we'll make Google Earth look like any other application on Xubuntu. Important: This method doesn't work for the 7.x version. Google Earth running on Xubuntu 12.04 with native look-and-feel. Fix Copy and paste the line bellow on a terminal window. cd /opt/google/earth/free && sudo rm libcurl.so.4 libGLU.so.1 libnss_mdns4_minimal.so.2 libQtCore.so.4 libQtGui.so.4 libQtNetwork.so.4 libQtWebKit.so.4 && sudo wget -q http://goo.gl/hl6Gq -O libfreeimage.so.3 && if [ `uname -m` == "x86_64" ]; then sudo wget -q http://goo.gl/52m1f -O libphonon.so.4; fi && sudo wget -q http://goo.gl/gKAZJ -O googleearth && cd - && sudo apt-get install libcurl4-openssl-dev libqtwebkit4 -y References [How To] Make Google Earth 6.2 Look ‘Native’ in Ubuntu

Google Earth is a virtual globe. Here's how to install it in Xubuntu. Google Earth running on Xubuntu 12.04 Install Copy and paste the line bellow on a terminal window. wget -q -O - https://dl-ssl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub | sudo apt-key add - && sudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://dl.google.com/linux/earth/deb/ stable main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google.list' && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install google-earth-stable -y Usage Google Earth can be accessed via Applications Menu > Internet > Google Earth or typing the following command: googleearth . References 3rd Party Repository: Google Earth

UPDATED: 25/07/12 Here's the instructions for adding the Linux Mint Menu to Xubuntu. Linux Mint Menu running on Xubuntu 12.04 Install Mint Menu NOTE: Before proceeding please confirm that you have Xfce 4.10 installed (Applications Menu > About Xfce), because xfce4-xfapplet-plugin depends on libxfce4util6 >= 4.9.0 and xfce4-panel >= 4.9.2 and those versions are available in the Xfce 4.10 Dev PPA. You can learn on how to install Xfce 4.10 here .   Copy and paste the line below on a terminal window. This line adds the Linux Mint repository and its key and then installs mintmenu and xfce4-xfapplet-plugin packages. echo 'deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ maya main upstream import' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/linuxmint.list && key=3EE67F3D0FF405B2 && gpg --keyserver subkeys.pgp.net --recv-keys $key && gpg --armor --export $key | sudo apt-key add - && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get i...

Here's the steps for creating a new user in Xubuntu: Open Applications Menu > System > Users and Groups . On the following "User Settings" dialog click on the add button. Now it's time to write the user's name. The dialog will suggest some usernames based on the user's name, but another one can be used as long as the rules presented are followed. Now a password for the new user must be selected. The password can be automatically generated (don't forget to memorize it). The new user is now available for login.

Updated 26/10/12: These instructions are also valid for Quantal (12.10). On a previous article I wrote about installing HandBrake in Xubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin, however, at that moment there weren't packages built for Precise, so we had to install the packages for Oneiric manually. Now packages for Precise are available. Bellow instructions are provided for adding the PPA and install HandBrake. Install Open a terminal window and run (you can choose to install command line HandBrake and/or HandBrake with GUI): sudo add-apt-repository ppa:stebbins/handbrake-releases -y sudo apt-get update # Run to install HandBrake with command line interface sudo apt-get install handbrake-cli -y # Run to install HandBrake with graphical interface sudo apt-get install handbrake-gtk -y Usage HandBrake can be accessed via Applications Menu > Multimedia > HandBrake or typing the command HandBrakeCli for command line HandBrake and typing the command ghb for HandBrake with GU...

lsb_release prints distribution information. Some examples Open a terminal window and run: $ lsb_release -i Distributor ID: Ubuntu $ lsb_release -d Description: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS $ lsb_release -r Release: 12.04 $ lsb_release -c Codename: precise # Options can be combined (-s for short format) $ lsb_release -sirc Ubuntu 12.04 precise References lsb_release(1) - Linux man page

Usually the color picker tool from graphics applications don't allow color picking outside the program. So Gcolor2 becomes useful because it allow to pick a color anywhere within the desktop. Gcolor2 running on Xubuntu 12.04 Install Open a terminal window and run: sudo apt-get install gcolor2 -y Usage Gcolor2 can be accessed via Applications Menu > Graphics > Gcolor2 or typing the following command: gcolor2 . References gcolor2 - GTK+2 Color Selector

Update 07/01/2015   Synapse is no longer officially maintained (it's not even available on Ubuntu repositories since version 14.04) so its stability is not assured. Synapse is a semantic launcher written in Vala that you can use to start applications as well as find and access relevant documents and files by making use of the Zeitgeist engine. Synapse running on Xubuntu 12.04. Start typing the name of the application you want to run and Synapse will try to auto-complete and will launch it when you hit return. Install Open a terminal window and run: sudo apt-get install synapse -y Usage Synapse can be accessed via Applications Menu > Accessories > Synapse or typing the following command: synapse . Synapse runs on the background and can be activated using the keyboard combination Ctrl+Space . This combination and other settings (like add to startup) and be altered accessing the preferences dialog: ...

UPDATED: 26/07/12 Whats is "Deep Freeze"? Deep Freeze, by Faronic, is an application for Microsoft Windows and MAC OS X which restores the computer back to its original configuration each time the system is restarted. In Xubuntu the same can be accomplished using Ofris. Ofris is a command line tool , easy to use and offers options to lock the system for a specific user or for all users. Please be aware that Ofris only freezes the users' home directory ; applications installed while the system is locked with remain installed after unlocking. There's also an AppIndicator available that goes by the name of Gofris, which makes all the Offris options available with a couple of clicks. Even though Ofris and Gofris work on recent Xubuntu distributions, there's no package available on the PPA, so instructions for both older and newer Xubuntu releases are provided. Instructions should work for 32 and 64 bits machines. Please note that Ofris and Gofris are con...

Grub Customizer is a graphical grub2 settings manager. It allows the configuration of the boot entry list, default entry, visibility timeout, foreground/background colors, resolution and some other boot parameters. Grub Customizer running on Xubuntu 12.04 Install Open a terminal window and run: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:danielrichter2007/grub-customizer -y sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install grub-customizer -y Usage Grub Customizer can be accessed via Applications Menu > System > Grub Customizer or typing the following command: grub-customizer . It'll prompt for authentication before running. References Grub Customizer - a graphical grub2 settings manager Launchpad PPA for Grub Customizer

Hotot is a opensource microblogging client that supports Twitter and Identi.ca . Hotot running on Xubuntu 12.04 Hotot main features are (more information about them can be found here ). Extensions Support Preview Images and Videos Image Service Integration Theme Support Threaded Conversations View Geo Informations Kismet Firewall Notification System Multi-Columns View Rea-time Update Install Open a terminal window and run: sudo apt-get install hotot -y Usage Hotot can be accessed via Applications Menu > Internet > Hotot or typing the command in a terminal window: hotot . Hotot interface can be summoned using the Alt+C keyboard combination when it's running in the background. References Hotot - A microblogging client

Symptom: The LibreOffice applications (Writer, Calc, ...) don't have the same look as the other applications on your Xubuntu desktop. LibreOffice Writer with mismatch look-and-feel Solution Open a terminal window and run: sudo apt-get install libreoffice-gtk -y After installing the libreoffice-gtk package, the LibreOffice Applications will have the system look-and-feel. LibreOffice Writer with native look-and-feel

If you need a more comprehensive and complete office suite for your Xubuntu desktop, LibreOffice is the answer. LibreOffice has the following main components: Base: database front-end Calc: spreadsheet editor Draw: diagrams and sketches builder Impress: presentation creator Math: equation editor Writer: word processor Install all components at-once If you want to install the complete suite, open a terminal window and run: sudo apt-get install libreoffice libreoffice-gtk -y Install only the components you need First, let's install the libreoffice-gtk that will provide desktop integration (the office applications will has the system look-and-feel) and will automatically install the core functionality. sudo apt-get install libreoffice-gtk Then run the commands that install the components you need: # Install Base sudo apt-get install libreoffice-base -y # Install Calc sudo apt-get install libreoffice-calc -y # Install Draw s...

Thunar (the default Xfce file manager) has one option that enables opening a item (file/directory) with a single click, just like links are open in a web browser. Enable single-click To enable this option, on the Thunar interface, open Edit > Preferences... , then on the "Behaviour" tab choose the option "Single click to activate items". Selecting items When single click is enabled, hover the item for a few moments and i'll be selected. Multiple items can be selected by holding the Ctrl key and hovering other items (multiple file selection also works with left-click; it won't open the items just add them to selection). Under the option to enable single-click, there's a slider that adjusts the amount of time it takes a item to be selected when the mouse is hovering it.

Updates for this release include: Xfce 4.10 Updated applications, including GIMP 2.8 and gThumb 3.0.1 Download Image files can be downloaded from here . References Xubuntu 12.10 alpha 2 released

Symptom You get this error message when starting apache: * Starting web server apache2 apache2: Could not reliably determine the server's fully qualified domain name, using 127.0.1.1 for ServerName Fix Open a terminal window and run: sudo sh -c 'echo "ServerName localhost" >> /etc/apache2/conf.d/name' && sudo service apache2 restart References How to fix Apache – "Could not reliably determine the server’s fully qualified domain name, using 127.0.1.1 for ServerName" Error on Ubuntu

Cover Thumbnailer is a small Python script which displays music album's covers and a preview of pictures which are in a folder in nautilus, the GNOME's file browser. Cover Thumbnailer generate the folder's thumbnail automatically, like any other thumbnailer ; you don't have to generate thumbnails manually. Cover Thumbnailer 0.8.3 works with Nautilus 3.x Cover Thumbnailer 0.8.2 and previous work with Nautilus 2.x Using the PPA bellow, the latest version (0.8.3 at the time of writing) will be installed, which is compatible with nautilus's current version in Xubuntu 11.10/12.04. Cover thumbnailer running on Xubuntu 12.04 Install Open a terminal window and run: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:flozz/flozz -y sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install cover-thumbnailer -y Usage Cover thumbnailer should start working automatically after installation (by default it creates thumbnails for the ~/Pictures and ~/Music directories)....

Touchpad-Indicator is an indicator program that allows to manually enable/disable the touchpad. Touchpad-Indicator running in Xubuntu 12.04 Install Open a terminal window and run: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:atareao/atareao sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install touchpad-indicator Usage Touchpad-indicator can be accessed via Applications Menu > Accessories > Touchpad-Indicator or running the command: touchpad-indicator . When running, the Touchpad-Indicator will be placed in the Xfce's panel Indicator-Plugin, then just click on it to access a menu that gives access to the options of enabling/disabling the touchpad, hide the icon, help, preferences and exit. There's a keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+C) to enable/disable the touchpad that can be changed in the preferences. Touchpad-Indicator preferences References How to disable-enable touchpad in ubuntu 11.10 atareao-team PPA

With the help of xboxdrv , the Userspace Xbox USB Gamepad Driver for Linux, the Xbox 360 controller can be used in Xubuntu as a mouse. Install Open a terminal window and run: sudo apt-get install xboxdrv -y Usage Open a terminal window and run: sudo rmmod xpad sudo xboxdrv --mouse Running the last command will make the Xbox 360 Controller produce the following key events: LS (move): move mouse cursor LS (click): backspace LS (move): mouse scroll RS (click): space D-Pad: up/down/left/right Reset: Alt+Left Start: Alt+Right LB: PageUp LT: VolumeDown RB: PageDown RT: VolumeUp Y: enter A: mouse left-click B: mouse right-click X: mouse middle-click Note: This also works for the original Xbox controller, however I didn't have the chance to test and register the event mapping. References Userspace Xbox/Xbox360 USB Gamepad Driver for Linux