Thu 6 Sep 2007
Making the Ubuntu Switch Easier - 30 Essential Linux Applications
Posted by elijah under Web , Games , Linux , Applications , Etcetera , Tutorials , Entertainment , GIMPBelow is a collection of cloned applications that I used on Windows that made the switch to Ubuntu (almost) seamless. Most of these apps are extremely customizable, though all are functional and set to the most common preferences once installed. A few important notes for new Ubuntu/Linux users:
- If you don’t already have Ubuntu, download it, burn it to a CD, and install it! If you can’t burn it to a CD, they will also ship you about 5 copies for free (no shipping, no handling - they even pay postage. This is how I got my first copy in 2005). If you just want to try it, Ubuntu features a Live CD filesystem. Just pop it in and enjoy Ubuntu without actually installing it on your box or making any changes to your existing operating system. Keep in mind nothing will be saved to the hard disk, which makes the rest of this tutorial kind of useless.
- Quite a few of the installations in this tutorial will be through a console. By default Ubuntu installs a console (Applications -> System -> Terminal). Don’t worry. Most of the steps in this tutorial only require copy/paste into the console, and all have a GUI and are added to your Applications menu unless otherwise noted.
- The
sudofunction means "SuperUser Do" - in other words: "do this command as the root user (Administrator)." Nearly everything that could be considered a dangerous application or change requires you to enter your root password, even GUIfied programs. After the initial install and setup of Ubuntu it can be a pain in the ass, but don’t worry. You’ll get settled in and won’t have to enter your password as often as you’d think. - The apt-get program is a centralized command-line installer application (whereas Synaptic is a GUIfied aptitude client). There are thousands of packages available through apt-get, and they’re frequently updated as new versions arrive. Before you begin, please ensure your apt-get repositories are up to date. In a console type:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
- The Ubuntu user forum is a *great* place to get information on different packages, technical issues, and environment suggestions, as is google! If you’re having trouble finding a good tutorial on a certain process or package, search google for packagename ubuntu. If the issue is with hardware, it’s likely already a known issue and has a workaround. Search for the product name, such as Broadcom 1390 ubuntu on google.
- Finally, if you want all the packages mentioned here (except Skype, the Firefox plugins, and Frostwire as they require some human interaction), in a console type:
wget http://www.thepemberton.com/allpackages.sh
sh ./allpackages.sh
Now, on to the goodies!
1. Skype!
Skype is what I use for my home phone service. Skype costs about $30 USD/year (The Skype ‘credits’ are useful, but can be a burden - just go for the full year of service and it’ll save you a bundle). It even has a service called SkypeIn
, which allows you to have a dial-in number that you can use or check anywhere in the world for a small yearly fee. Skype includes caller ID, voicemail, chat, call forwarding (to forward to your mobile and keep the number private for you business users), and they let you choose your own phone number in the area code of your choosing. Even if you don’t want to pay, it’s a wonderful IM client and VoIP application.
To install Skype, sign up and click "Download" at the top of their website, then choose "Skype for Linux" from the left.
Save the latest "Ubuntu" distribution to your Desktop, and in a Console type:
cd ~/Desktop
sudo dpkg -i skype-debian_<versionnumber>.deb
OpenOffice (in my experience — don’t quote me) has full compatibility with all Microsoft Office documents, even PowerPoint and Access - free! This was one of my biggest fears in switching to Linux. Thanks OpenOffice!
OpenOffice should come with Ubuntu, but if yours did not click System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager -> OpenOffice.org
3. MSN IM, Yahoo IM, AOL Instant Messenger, and ICQ
These can all be run from one program: GAIM
Gaim (will be renamed to Pidgin in its next release) can log you into MSN IM, Yahoo IM, AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ, IRC, and others. It features numerous plugins (including tabbed chatting to keep your desktop tidy).
To install Gaim (and some of my favorite plugins - including Encryption and GUIfications), in a Console type:
sudo apt-get install gaim gaim-hotkeys gaim-encryption gaim-extendedprefs gaim-guifications
4. Firefox
Really. There’s little or no advantage to using IE. Hell, if you’re patient enough, you can even run IE on Linux.
To install Mozilla Fireforex, click System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager -> firefox Some handy plugins:
Neatly arranges downloads and prevents the annoying download window from appearing every time (though you can set it to display the download window *every* time, but really there’s no need).
Shows you exactly what’s coming into your browser.
- TabBrowser Preferences or TabMix Plus
Some additional functionality for tabbed browsing. I suggest starting with TabBrowser Preferences and if you feel like it’s missing something, uninstall it and try TabMix plus.
Just the best timekiller ever.
If you’re a web developer or frequent an "IE only" website, you might understand how important this can be. It allows you to change the Agent that your browser tells a webserver that you’re using (dozens of options, including googlebot, different versions of IE, and others).
Not something I could stomach to have enabled all the time, but it shows website rankings dynamically (try a google search after enabling).
5. Codecs
Codecs? That’s right. Out of the box, Ubuntu doesn’t have any of the popular media codecs (mp3, wmv, etc).
In a Console, type:
sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-gl gstreamer0.10-plugins-base gstreamer0.10-plugins-good gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse libxine-extracodecs
Any additional codecs you need are likely in the Synaptic Manager (System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager). Just search for the codec name.
6. Amarok
Amarok is a fresh new media player. Seriously, this app has some great functions, and has a ton of plugins.
apt-get install amarok
Note: I suggest the Wiki-lyrics plugin: http://kde-apps.org/content/show.php?content=35151
To use the wiki plugin, in a console type:
sudo apt-get install libgtk2-ruby
Save the tar.bz2 file from the link above to your computer, and in Amarok click Tools -> Script Manager, and "Install Script," pointing to the .tar.bz2 file. To run it, in the Script Manager select Lyrics -> WikiLyrics -> Run
7. KTorrent
A sweet BitTorrent client, much like Azareus, but without spamvertisements or the need for Java. KTorrent allows you to download a full torrent, or select specific files that you’d like to download from the torrent.
To install KTorrent, click System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager -> KTorrent
8. Filezilla
The popular FTP client for Windows is also available on Linux. In my opinion all other FTP clients pale in comparison.
Installation: System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager -> Filezilla
9. Archivers/File Compressors
Even on Linux there are plenty of archivers, but most do them all.
I like Ark. It handles too many formats to list, but a few are rar, zip, tar, gz, bz, 7z….
To install Ark, in a console type:
sudo apt-get install ark
If you ever find yourself missing a library, say, to open .ace files, take a peek in the Synaptic Package Manager.
10. Java
You know you’ll need it. To install:
sudo apt-get install sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin sun-java6-fonts
11. Frostwire
A *clean* Limewire clone for Linux. You’ll mostly use this to download single mp3s. Needs Java (see #10). To install Frostwire visit frostwire.com, click "Download Now for Ubuntu," and save the .deb file to your desktop. In a console type:
cd ~/Desktop
sudo dpkg -i <<filename>>.deb
12. aMule
An eMule/eDonkey clone for Linux. aMule takes a little time to start downloading, but pretty much everything is on here (full albums, windoze software, etc). To install aMule, use the following in a console:
sudo apt-get install amule
13. Wine
Wine stands for "Wine is Not an Emulator." What is it? Wine is an application that attempts to mimic Windows and let you run Windows programs in Linux, seamlessly. I’ve used it for a few things, even some good complex games like CounterStrike 1.6, Team Fortress Classic, Half Life 2, and Counterstrike: Source.
To install Wine, in a console type:
sudo apt-get install wine
A popular email client. Not as many options as Microsoft Outlook out of the box, but there’s a decent Thunderbird plugin repository.
To install Thunderbird, in a console type:
sudo apt-get install mozilla-thunderbird
15. Geany
Geany is an AWESOME programming IDE. It supports nearly every language, a terminal, built-in functions to compile, and autocomplete (not the lame kind, this one actually scans your project across files and provides autocomplete for functions from other user created files!).
apt-get install geany
16. Beryl and Emerald
I wouldn’t use this on an ATI card unless you find a great tutorial on Beryl and ATI drivers… but if you’re fortunate enough to have an NVidia card
To install Beryl and Emerald, in a console type:
sudo apt-get install beryl emerald-themes beryl-manager
There are a good number of themes for Beryl and Emerald (Emerald is the window decorator, allows for some great window themes) at http://www.beryl-look.org/
17. Flash Player
Duh.
To install (don’t worry - it’s free):
sudo apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree
A lightweight video player. Not bad at all.
Note: If there’s a codec you’re missing Totem should try to grab it by itself. If this fails, search for the codec name in System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager
To install Totem Movie Player:
sudo apt-get install totem totem-gstreamer totem-mozilla
19. Desktop games!
Most of the games are lightweight and clones of popular Windows games. Check them out! If you’re looking for some serious gaming action, check out my posts on Ubuntu Linux Games - Top Picks, Guide to ROMs (Console emulation) on Ubuntu, and Installing Valve’s STEAM and Counterstrike on Ubuntu.
To install some cool (small) games on Linux:
Applications -> Add/Remove Programs, and check out the "Games" area. Make sure you choose all of the suites (Multiverse, etc) - or:
apt-get install abuse supertux gweled briquolo chromium criticalmass frozen-bubble fb-music-high lbreakout2 pingus powermanga rrootage gnome-sudoku tuxpuck
20. GIMP
Gimp is a fun little graphics editor. It’s infinitely expandable with a huge list of plugins and scripts. Even if you’re not a graphic artist, sometimes you just need to edit photos or pics. There’s also a lot of community support for GIMP. I mention a few great tutorials in one of my previous posts.
To install GIMP:
sudo apt-get install gimp
21. K3B
K3B is an awesome CD/DVD burning and ripping application, like Roxio Toast. To install:
sudo apt-get install k3b
22. Konsole
My favorite terminal/console application. Supports multiple schemas and transparency.
To install:
sudo apt-get install konsole
23. VLC
VLC is another video player. It play some of the more exotic compression formats.
sudo apt-get install vlc
24. KSnapshot
Perfect little screencapture application. You’ll want it once you install Beryl.
sudo apt-get install ksnapshot
25. k9Copy
Linux DVD ripper and shrinker. Enjoy!
sudo apt-get install k9copy
26. KMyMoney
Like quickbooks, but free.
sudo apt-get install kmymoney2
27. OpenSSH
It’s hard to spend time away from your Ubuntu box. OpenSSH allows you to open a remote console from anywhere.
sudo apt-get install openssh-client openssh-server
Note: If you’re going to SSH into your machine from a Windows box, I suggest using PuTTY on the Windows machine (requires no install - just a standalone executable).
28. Krita
Is GIMP too powerful and you just need a few image touchups in a familiar interface? Krita is a tidy little image editor.
sudo apt-get install krita
29. nano
Nano is a console-based text editor. If you break your xserver and don’t have video after trying something new with your crappy ATI driver, nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf will be burned into your memory. Seriously,buy an NVidia card
sudo apt-get install nano
30. kate
A lot of the features in geany are here, but kate is closer to notepad/wordpad.
sudo apt-get install kate
Afterthought #1:
Mount an NTFS (Windows) partition for read/write access in Ubuntu:
If you have two hard drives in your computer, or a specific dual-boot partitioning schema, you may find it necessary to be able to access files from that partition *cough*mp3s*cough*
To mount that partition under Ubuntu, it can be a little tricky. Here’s what I did:
1. Find the name of the hard drive partition. In a console, type:
sudo fdisk -l
look for any entries mentioning "NTFS" or "FAT32" and take note of the "Device Boot" column. My "HPFS/NTFS" drive was located at /dev/hdb1
2. Install the apps needed to make this work. In a console type:
sudo apt-get install ntfs-3g
3. Create a directory that we’ll access the partition from:
sudo mkdir /media/windows
4. Backup and open the fstab file:
sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.bak
gksudo gedit /etc/fstab
5. gedit will open up. Add the following line to the file (replace /dev/hdb1 with your partition location from step 1) and save:
/dev/hdb1 /media/windows ntfs-3g defaults,force,locale=en_US.utf8 0 0
6. Unmount the NTFS partition, and re-mount:
sudo umount /dev/hdb1
sudo mount -a
Or reboot your machine, and you’ll see your Windows NTFS partition in the /media/windows directory!
Afterthought #2:
Create a backup of all installed packages
Creating a backup list of applications to install is quite easy really. If you ever need to reinstall Ubuntu or wish to install all of the same applications onto another computer, try this:
Save a backup list of all installed packages to your desktop:
cd ~/Desktop
dpkg --get-selections | grep -v deinstall > ubuntu-install-files
Now don’t lost that "ubuntu-install-files" file! Email it to yourself, put it on your pen drive
On the new computer (or fresh install):
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
dpkg --set-selections < ubuntu-install-files
sudo dselect
Hit ‘i’ on your keyboard to continue the install, and Q once it’s done.
Please leave comments if you’d like anything added! I’ll take most into consideration 
September 22nd, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Cool list of apps, found it very useful. Thanks.
November 30th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Some nice suggestions. Looking at your preferred programs would you not prefer Kubuntu?
June 11th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Great list, very helpful especially backing up the list of installed packages, I’ve been looking to for something to do that for ages, I did have to install dselect before I could run it on my new 8.04 install, not sure if that’s an issue for everyone or not though! Thanks for your hard work.
June 19th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Hi. Im from Mexico and I want to make a ubuntu site in spanish so i was wondering if u can allow me to translate some of your things and put them on my site. Nice work man!
September 18th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Hi, I found your blog on this new directory of WordPress Blogs at blackhatbootcamp.com/listofwordpressblogs. I dont know how your blog came up, must have been a typo, i duno. Anyways, I just clicked it and here I am. Your blog looks good. Have a nice day. James.