Ubuntu Must-Haves?

Rokrin · 04-26-2009, 10:00 PM

I haven't had Ubuntu on a computer in a very, very long time, and never my main laptop. But I shot the moon today and decided to try installing it and I'm pleased that I can still work my way around it. I'm wondering if anyone here has any must-haves in terms of programs for Ubuntu; and I already have WINE, I'd just prefer not to constantly use it.

Viridis · 04-26-2009, 10:05 PM

The compiz thing that places your virtual desktops on a cube is the first thing I install.

I'll get back to you on other programs.

Ubuntu Pocket Guide is a good to pdf download.

Is VLC in there by default? If not, that.

Rokrin · 04-26-2009, 10:16 PM

I grabbed the Pocket Guide a while ago but the default media player is Rhythmbox so I'll install VLC right now. Have to look into this other thing.

synkr0nized · 04-26-2009, 10:25 PM

Make sure to get your codecs installed and set up and configure your firewall, console, and Compiz as you like.

Aside from Compiz, it's really whatever other 'nix apps you feel like using. Ubuntu should've come with OpenOffice, at least Firefox, a torrent client, xchat or other IRC clients, whatever that Outlook-esque mail client is, plenty of PDf options, and at least mPlayer, Totem, amarok, and a few other multimedia apps (even though it's sitting 5 feet from me, I don't feel like turning my Ubuntu box back on to poke around). What sorts of things do you do / would you be looking to do?

Oh, it might not have Pidgin by default. I forget.

Viridis · 04-26-2009, 10:27 PM

Pidgin is in by default. I can't think of any more programs at the moment. I'm dual-booting so let me flip over and get back to you.

Vault Of Thrones · 04-26-2009, 10:35 PM

After I installed Ubuntu the first thing I did was find a settings manager for compiz (Compiz Config Settings Manager). Flash is also probably a good things to download and install. Other than those and VLC though I can't really think of anything that didn't come with it that would be needed. The only other stuff I've got are ThunderBird (because I don't really like Evolution for mail) and a whole lot of developer stuff.

Rokrin · 04-26-2009, 11:04 PM

To answer your question, synk, most of the stuff I do on my computer is related to media (graphics and audio), so anything you can think of that's fun to have around for that. Also minor coding, although for the most part that's now strictly web coding since I haven't had to really write anything in C in a long time.

And yeah it comes with Pidgin.

Mostly I'm just looking for nifty things that are fun to have around.

synkr0nized · 04-27-2009, 12:07 AM

Well, I've been a fan of Eclipse for a while for coding, but some may have better / less "large" solutions in that respect, if you need anything at all beyond the apps already provided in the install (eg: Kate and, oh, damnit, this would be so much easier if I just turned the bloody machine one... anyway suffice to say there're some XML/HTML/CSS friendly editors in one of the application menus). I kinda grew attached to JEdit in my undergrad and still use it from time to time, as well. I also recall whatever app Ubuntu defaulted XML files to (i.e. I never assigned anything manually and just used what opened when I opened those files) being very straightforward and no-nonsense, which I like. It should be the same for most document types, though I'd expect without getting something like Eclipse you might not get as much help pointing out errors prior to compilation or running.

For graphics, I would take to the ol' Linux standby and make sure you have the Gimp installed; the other provided apps are great for viewing and taking screenshots or whatever, but its options are more numerous and powerful, if that's even a reasonable adjective to use. My video editing experiences have all been on Windows (Premiere, virtualdub) and OS X (Quicktime, Final Cut Studio), so I can't be of any help there.

Rokrin · 04-27-2009, 05:50 PM

Eclipse looks nice; thanks for the tip. I'm installing it now and I'll try it out in a bit. GIMP is pre-installed.

04-26-2009, 10:00 PM	#1
Rokrin Stupidity is an AoE Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 749	Ubuntu Must-Haves? I haven't had Ubuntu on a computer in a very, very long time, and never my main laptop. But I shot the moon today and decided to try installing it and I'm pleased that I can still work my way around it. I'm wondering if anyone here has any must-haves in terms of programs for Ubuntu; and I already have WINE, I'd just prefer not to constantly use it. __________________ Gamertag: T4CT

04-26-2009, 10:05 PM	#2
Viridis oh, what fun we will have! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Lafayette, LA Posts: 1,773	The compiz thing that places your virtual desktops on a cube is the first thing I install. I'll get back to you on other programs. Ubuntu Pocket Guide is a good to pdf download. Is VLC in there by default? If not, that. Last edited by Viridis; 04-26-2009 at 10:08 PM.

04-26-2009, 10:16 PM	#3
Rokrin Stupidity is an AoE Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 749	I grabbed the Pocket Guide a while ago but the default media player is Rhythmbox so I'll install VLC right now. Have to look into this other thing. __________________ Gamertag: T4CT

04-26-2009, 10:25 PM	#4
synkr0nized synk-ism Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: throughout the Wired Posts: 6,861	My box doesn't do anything much these days. Make sure to get your codecs installed and set up and configure your firewall, console, and Compiz as you like. Aside from Compiz, it's really whatever other 'nix apps you feel like using. Ubuntu should've come with OpenOffice, at least Firefox, a torrent client, xchat or other IRC clients, whatever that Outlook-esque mail client is, plenty of PDf options, and at least mPlayer, Totem, amarok, and a few other multimedia apps (even though it's sitting 5 feet from me, I don't feel like turning my Ubuntu box back on to poke around). What sorts of things do you do / would you be looking to do? Oh, it might not have Pidgin by default. I forget. __________________ Find love.

04-26-2009, 10:27 PM	#5
Viridis oh, what fun we will have! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Lafayette, LA Posts: 1,773	Pidgin is in by default. I can't think of any more programs at the moment. I'm dual-booting so let me flip over and get back to you. Last edited by Viridis; 04-26-2009 at 10:31 PM.

04-26-2009, 10:35 PM	#6
Vault Of Thrones A Threat to the District Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: /dev/null Posts: 444	After I installed Ubuntu the first thing I did was find a settings manager for compiz (Compiz Config Settings Manager). Flash is also probably a good things to download and install. Other than those and VLC though I can't really think of anything that didn't come with it that would be needed. The only other stuff I've got are ThunderBird (because I don't really like Evolution for mail) and a whole lot of developer stuff. __________________ Twitter!

04-26-2009, 11:04 PM	#7
Rokrin Stupidity is an AoE Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 749	To answer your question, synk, most of the stuff I do on my computer is related to media (graphics and audio), so anything you can think of that's fun to have around for that. Also minor coding, although for the most part that's now strictly web coding since I haven't had to really write anything in C in a long time. And yeah it comes with Pidgin. Mostly I'm just looking for nifty things that are fun to have around. __________________ Gamertag: T4CT Last edited by Rokrin; 04-26-2009 at 11:06 PM.

04-27-2009, 12:07 AM	#8
synkr0nized synk-ism Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: throughout the Wired Posts: 6,861	I may turn it into a game server. Hmm. Well, I've been a fan of Eclipse for a while for coding, but some may have better / less "large" solutions in that respect, if you need anything at all beyond the apps already provided in the install (eg: Kate and, oh, damnit, this would be so much easier if I just turned the bloody machine one... anyway suffice to say there're some XML/HTML/CSS friendly editors in one of the application menus). I kinda grew attached to JEdit in my undergrad and still use it from time to time, as well. I also recall whatever app Ubuntu defaulted XML files to (i.e. I never assigned anything manually and just used what opened when I opened those files) being very straightforward and no-nonsense, which I like. It should be the same for most document types, though I'd expect without getting something like Eclipse you might not get as much help pointing out errors prior to compilation or running. For graphics, I would take to the ol' Linux standby and make sure you have the Gimp installed; the other provided apps are great for viewing and taking screenshots or whatever, but its options are more numerous and powerful, if that's even a reasonable adjective to use. My video editing experiences have all been on Windows (Premiere, virtualdub) and OS X (Quicktime, Final Cut Studio), so I can't be of any help there. __________________ Find love.

04-27-2009, 05:50 PM	#9
Rokrin Stupidity is an AoE Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 749	Eclipse looks nice; thanks for the tip. I'm installing it now and I'll try it out in a bit. GIMP is pre-installed. __________________ Gamertag: T4CT