Dapper

This is the continuation of the Dapper. When I get into a fresh installation of Ubuntu, I will always install the following, Blender 3D, Clam AV, and just a few other things. Then it is usually searching around and deciding if I can make due with what I have or if I want to play and learn something new. I have been sitting in the Dapper channel for the past few days and it seems that all of the upgrading isn't always going so well for some folks. Like I just saw where a guy did an upgrade from Breezy and now his X-Server will bit start. I am one who believes that if you do your homework all will work when you do it. I am in the other background. I don't always do my homework and it does come up and bit me rather hard at times, Like when I first installed Ubuntu on this laptop, The wireless would not work even after following the directions in the Wiki. This was very disappointing to me as I was accustomed to things just working with very little configuration. I am however pleased to report that I do have my Broadcom Wireless adapter working. The way I did this is as following.
1)I go here. https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WifiDocs/Driver/Broadcom43xx?highlight=%28Broadcom%29#head-06abfbc9895e3a558cad13518afc671d1b421131
2)Then I follow this Using the bcm43xx driver
3)Then when that is all done, I do this. sudo iwconfig eth1 ap any.
4)Then I type in sudo dhclient eth1
5)Then it should be working for me.

When I do this, it all seems to fall in place and then I can ping out and surf the net. All I have to do now is encrypt a wireless network and get that idea going. This should prove to be quite the goos thing as I want to have a wireless network at home and don't want to do it until I get the rest of it working right.


The Brilliance Behind Ubuntu

When I first started using Ubuntu it was when it was still Wharty Warthog. This was a good distibution as well, the only problem I had was I could not get my sound working. This was solved in Breezy Badger. All is good and well with it until I bought this laptop, I could not get an X-Server happening. This was solved in Dapper Drake and it is the distribution that I continue to use. I do love how easy it is to install and use most software on Ubuntu, there is a few downfalls that I haven't yet found but we will see what happens. I am going to install a firewall this weekend and see what all happens with it. Okay that was fairly painless, I did a sudo apt-get install firestarter. This installed firestarter and then I just went to System>Administration>Firestarter. Set it up for my connection to the internet and Boom! I am protected.


Games I Install Through My Basic Install

Frozen Bubble;
I install this because I love to play it for some giggles and for the days that my son drives me crazy enough to allow him to play on my laptop. This has not happened as of yet.

Battle For Wesnoth;
I install this because I love the challenges of a new world.

Falcons Eye;
I got introduced to this game by my good Friend Charles. I just like to play with all of the different settings in it.

That is all of the games that I install right off the bat. The main problem with having so few games is that I don't always leave myself enough to play.


Desktop Backgrounds;

I always manage to install a few Desktop Backgrounds that are not included, I do this because I like to look at different things. This is always cool and never dull.
http://www.linuxwallpapers.org/ This is where I go to get most of my Backgrounds. Or the next thing I will do is do a Google search for Linux Backgrounds.


Xchat

I am always in one channel in IRC, it is called chat.marcelgagne.com then under join channel #wftlchat
This will allow you to talk with Marcel Gagne, know as WFTL Writer and Free Thinker. You can find him at www.marcelgagne.com and see the books this man has written. If you are into Linux at all, you will love this site. When you do make your way over there make sure you also check out http://linuxredneck.blogspot.com This is mine and my friends blog and where you can download our newest podcast. We take pride in what we do and should have a new podcast every month or we will at least try to.

Cool Software That I Use In Everyday Life.

I always install Audacity, this program allows me to record our podcast. I like it because I can put in the sounds that we usually put into it, and we can also export the file as an OGG or an MP3. Another Cool program that I use a lot is called Xchat, this program allows me to connect to the people who I help and they help me (mostly the ladder). Amsn, this program is quite good and is an MSN messanger look a like program, they have pretty much got all of the little things and most of the major things worked out on it to where it acts and looks like MSN messanger.
One good thing about using Linux is the plain and simple fact that most of the time it runs faster than Windows and there are very few viruses written for it and there are no known Spyware written for it. That just makes me wonder what MS does with all of that money that it makes selling what all it does. This I find funny because most of the Linux Distributions come with so much software, it makes the head spin. What do you get with Windows? A slap to the face the says hello sucker, you just bought an OS that will crash consistently, get infected with Spyware, and make you buy you virus protection. What sense does this make? Knowing that there is better and it is FREE! That just shows what MS does, they buy big business! That is my opinion anyhow, and I will stick to that to my death. This is always going to be my vision, and that is that the world needs to be involved with Linux as most of the documentation for it is free for the taking and will always be!
When I am talking to a client about all that Linux will do for them, they cannot believe that it is all free, when I take them to the sites for downloading it. They always go back to WOW! This is the factor that I live on. The WOW factor.
Now that I have more of your attention, let me introduce you to my version of the wow factor. This is all being done with Dapper Drake Ubuntu, it comes with Open Office 2 installed by default, Evolution Mail, and just a whole slew of other software installed by default! I am completely stoked and ready to roll with this, I just hope that I get this one out before the official release it! When we all get a new distro, we always get into a huff when we cannot find the things we are custom to using. I get all panicky when I cannot find my Open Office, or my Networking Management stuff. This just gets into a bit of frustration, but it does not have to be. If you need to find something, the main thing to do is look it up on line, or maybe even in the MAN pages. I personally get a laugh out of the simple questions I field on a daily basis. Like “how do I get from the command line” This is a simple task. Let me upgrade you from your old DOS or maybe even very old version of Linux. Then let me take an hour or two of your time to show you your new system. This will work on most customers that are open enough to have Linux, if they aren't don't sweat it! Get them using Firefox, instead of IE, get them using Evoluiton instead of Outlook, get them using Kaffine instead of Windows Media player, slowly integrate them into the Open Source world. Don't give up! They do come around eventually. When they do, it is usually in a very big way.


Using Synaptic Package Manager.

Honestly I don't use this much any more just because I prefer to install most of my software through the command line. My friend has gotten me into using that method because to me it is just easier. If you do use Synaptic, it is easy and straight forward to do so. I usually start my session with Mark all upgrade. Don't ask me why, there is no rhyme or reason, it just assures me that I am starting off with an up to date system. The best way I can suggest for you to get used to your system is to play with it, most of the time you cannot mess it up so bad that you would have to reinstall your OS, it is possible but not too likely.