Ubuntu Guide

Your Ubuntu Linux "Guide on the Side"

This WIKI is a resource for people to learn how to work in the Open Source environment.
I would like to share from what I have learned when using Ubuntu Linux and have learned when using the Linux operating system over the past 12 years...

I intend to write full notes on how to use many of the applications listed below, but until then, I will provide links to documentation and list other resources such as tutorials and textbooks (if available) and possibly youtube videos for visual demonstrations...

Below are links to pages to provide useful help.

Why Should I Use Linux?

• Why Should I Use Linux?
• What is Ubuntu?
• Dual Boot / Multiple Boot
  
  

Installing Ubuntu

• Asking For Help
• Obtain a Ubuntu CD for free (burn a copy)
• Install Ubuntu While Running MS Windows (WUBI)
• Install Ubuntu in Separate Partition (boot from CD)

Setting up Ubuntu

• Tasks to Perform Immediately After Install
• Install Applications in Ubuntu
• Customize Your Ubuntu Desktop Appearance
• Setup Special Desktop Effects
• Switching Desktops
• Replacing Panels with Docking Station (awn)
• Using Short-Cut Keys
• Automatic Login upon Boot-up
• Change Boot Menu options from Grub Bootloader

Setting up a Cost Effective Computer Lab (Edubuntu)

• What are "Thin Clients"? / What is LTSP? / What is Edubutu?
• Obtaining Edubuntu
• Install Thin-client Computer Lab (Edubuntu)
• Maintaining a Computer Lab (LTSP)

Setting up a Music Recording Studio (using Ubuntu Studio)

• Purpose of this Resource
• Recording Studio Definition
• Considerations BEFORE Building a Recording Studio (Hardware)
• Example of Building a Recording Studio
• Installing Ubuntu Studio
• Quick & Simple - Setting up Jack Server and Q-synth
• Quick & Simple - Recording With Audacity
• Quick & Simple - Recording With Ardour
• Performing Live with Jack,Qsynth, and Bristol Organ
• How to Collaborate On-line
• Audio Engineering Online Course

Setting up a Video Recording Studio (using Ubuntu Studio)

• Purpose of this Video Editing Resource
• Definition of Stop Motion Photography
• Example of Building a Video Recording Studio
• Quick & Simple - Using Cinelerra (Non Linear Editor)
• Advanced Editing Techniques - Cinelerra
• Cinecutie vs Cinelerra
• Using Cheese / Cinecutie / Audacity to Create a Stop Motion Video
• Converting Video Files
• Using recordmydesktop Utility
• Posting Videos on YouTube

Working in the Desktop Environment

• Desktop Environment Terminology
• Common Windows Operations
• Managing Files
• Customize Your Ubuntu Desktop Appearance
• Switching Desktops
• Replacing Panels with Docking Station (awn)
• Using Short-Cut Keys

Using Ubuntu (Applications)

Office Suite | Productivity

• OpenOffice.org Writer (Word Processor)
• OpenOffice.org Calc (Spreadsheet)
• OpenOffice.org Impress (SlideShow)
• OpenOffice.org Draw (Draw Pictures)
• OpenOffice.org Base (DataBase Creation/Management)
• Scribus (Desktop Publishing)
• KompoZer (Webpage Publishing)
• Evolution (Integrated mail, addressbook and calendaring)
• Tomboy (GNOME desktop note-taking application)
• Freemind (Mind Mapping)
• Crossover Linux (Run MS Office in Linux)
• Wine (Run Windows Applications in Linux)
• Celtx (Screen Writing, Story Line Development)
• Taking Screen Captures

iPod / Hand-held / Podcasting

• gtkpod (upload songs and playlists to your iPod)
• ifuse (connect to iPhone and iPod Touch devices)
• gpodder (Subscribe to and automatically download podcasts)
• Hipo (iPod Management Tool)
• iPod-convenience (iPod Touch & iPhone sync setup)
• Barrybackup-gui (GUI for backing up the RIM BlackBerry Handheld)
• Gpe (G Palmtop Environment)

Graphics

• Gimp (Image Manipulation)
• Kolourpaint4 (Similar to MS Paint)
• Inkscape (Scalable Vector Graphics)
• Blender (2-D, 3-D Animation)
• Dia (Dramming Tool - Like visio)
• Gwenview (Image Viewer)
• Cheese (Capture images from Webcam)

Multimedia

Audio

• Ubuntu Studio (Real-Time Kernel plus bundled Audio/Visual Applications)
• Audacity (Audio Recording | Processing)
• Ardour (Replacement for ProTools - Powerful)
• Rosegarden (MIDI Multitrack Recorder)
• Hydrogen (MIDI Drum Machine)
• Freebirth (Bass Emulator)
• Freewheeling (Live Looping Instrument)
• Horgand (Organ Soft Sythesizer)
• Hexter (Yamaha DX7 Software Sythesizer)
• lmms (Linux Multimedia Studio)
• Festival (Text to Speech Synthesis)
• TuxGuitar (Write Guitar Tabs)
• aeolus (Pipe Organ Emulator)
• Bristol (Emulator for Moog, Prophet-5, Roland Juno-6, Yamaha DX-7,Hammond (single manual), Hammond B3 (dual manual))
• Jack Daemon (Low Latency Sound Server - Connect multiple appliations/emulators)
• Canorus (Graphical Music Score Editor with MIDI support)

Video

• CinelerraCV (Non Linear Video Editor - Community Version)
• Stopmotion (Stop Motion Photography)
• Devede (Media Transcoder)
• Gnome Baker (Burn CD/DVDs / Burn Images on CD/DVD)
• recordmydesktop (Capture Computer Session on video file)
• DVDstyler (DVD Authoring application for Video enthusiasts to create professional looking Video-DVDs)

Media Center

• Mythtv (TV Digital Video Recorder)
• Totem (Media Player)
• VLC (Multimedia Player and Streamer)

Gaming

• Cedega Gaming Service (Play PC games on Linux)
• Frozen Bubble (Like BubbleBobble Arcade game)
• Extreme Tux Racer (formerly Planet Penguin Racer, Tux Racer)
• Open Arena (First person Shooter - network)
• Alien Arena (First person Shooter - Alien Oriented - network)
• Nexiuz (First person Shooter - network)
• Sauerbraten (First person Shooter - network)
• Critical Mass (2D Space Shooter)
• Solar Wolf (2D Space Game)
• Chromium (2D Space Shooter)
• xmame (Classic Arcade Emulator)
• Aisleriot (Solitaire card game)
• Armagetronad (Tron Light Cycle)
• Neverball (3D Platform game)
• Pingus (Clone of Lemmings game)
• foobillard (3D Pool games)
• torcs (3D Driving Simulator)
• FretsonFire (Guitar Hero Clone)
• Freetennis (Tennis game)
• Lux Deluxe (Strategy game - Based on "Risk" board game)

Internet

• FireFox (Web Browser)
• Ekiga (Video Conferencing)
• Skype (Telephony)
• amessenger (MSN Messenger for Linux)
• galaxium (communicate using different networks at the same time - many protocols supported)
• Pidgin (Instant Messenger - many protocols supported)
• VNC Server / VNC Viewer (Remote Graphical Connection - Remote Control Software)
• Xchat-gnome (Text-based chats - IRC)
• gftp (Transfer File Between Computer Systems)
• apache2 (Web Server)
• ktorrent (BitTorrent download client)
• Samba (cross-platform file and printer sharing with Microsoft Windows, OS X, and other Unix systems)
• Mediatomb (stream your digital media through your home network and listen to/watch it on a variety of UPnP compatible device)
• Kradioripper (record internet radios and other streams)
• Sound-juicer (CD Ripper)

• Wiziq Website for Free Internet Conferencing (Teaching) - Like GoTo Meeting, but free

Education

• Educational Software (Kids)
• Educational Software (High-school / College)
• Educational Tools for Thin Client Networks (LTSP)
• Moodle (Learning Content Managment System - LCMS)

Virtual Computing

• Virtualbox (Run Windows in Linux while Linux is running - Virtual Machine)
• VMPlayer (Run Linux in Windows while Windows is running - Virtual Machine)

Programming

• Programming Tools
• RCS (Revision Control System). RCS is useful for programs, documentation, graphics, etc. revised in a group/project environment.

Administration | System Tools

• Administration Tools
• File Management
• Shell (Command Prompt)
• Automation of Routine Tasks (Shell Scripting)
• Cron (Schedule Automated Tasks)
• Graphical Interface for Cron (Schedule Automated Tasks)

Application Links

• Happy Penguin (Linux Games - Reference to "Happy Puppy" Website)
• Linux App Finder (Find Linux Applications by Category)
• Linux online (Find Linux Applications by Category)
• 35 Cool Applications to Install in Ubuntu
• Linux Rock Star