Jun
16
Getting Ubuntu – Reader Questions
June 16, 2009 | By: UbuntuLinuxHelp | 1 Comment
Posted in Q & A
"Steve" asks:
"I would like to download linux to cd but don't want it on the host computer how do I do that?"
I'm not exactly sure what you're asking, do you mean you don't want it installed on the host computer or you don't want the .iso file on the host computer?
1) Several years ago, I remember playing with the ability to download an ISO directly to CD. I don't remember the application I used. I do remember however that I burned a LOT of coasters! This is not a good idea.
Instead...
2) Download the ISO file (but do not access it as a virtual disk). Instead, use software (such as the following two listed below) to burn the .iso image file onto a CD (after which you can delete the ISO file).
Bonus: Did you know that Read more
Jun
15
10 Things to do After Installing Ubuntu Linux
June 15, 2009 | By: UbuntuLinuxHelp | 46 Comments
Posted in How To
My primary reason for using Ubuntu Linux, is that I find it a far more productive, cost effective and customizable system. Everyone has their own reasons and needs for any particular OS. That said, I'm often asked by new Linux (Ubuntu) users what things I do immediately after installing Ubuntu; to tweak it a bit more. I'm still using Hardy (8.04 64 Bit) as I prefer to stick with LTS releases - This means another year to go with 8.04 before the next LTS (10.04). Until then, here's the answers for the 10 things I do to customize a new Ubuntu Hardy installation:
Update June 16, 2009: Steven and Coder's Wasteland has taken this post even further! In my opinion, he's done a great job in providing a bash script that implements all the changes described in this post. Way to go Steven! You can read more about that (and get the script) at: Initial Ubuntu Install Items Script.
Update June 19, 2009: Steven and Coder's Wasteland has migrated the script from a CLI to a GUI based one! Check it out at: Install Initial Ubuntu Items GUI.
1) sudo aptitude install sbackup
Nothing is worse that losing all your important data (pictures, email messages, music, documents, etc.) The above command will install Simple Backup Suite (more details found on Sourceforge). For me at least it's a great desktop backup solution. I can select which directories I want backed up (full and incremental), then have backups automatically transfered to my external network storage. I play a lot with my computer, I often break something as a result. With sbackup, I can be more confident as it's easy to restore data (in the event I have to reinstall an application or even worse... the OS itself). You can also install via:
2) sudo aptitude install ubuntu-restricted-extras && sudo aptitude install w64codecs
If you enjoy music, videos, and so forth, you'll want to install the extra media codecs and packages that will allow you to play almost any desktop media format (mov, mpg, avi, wmv, mp3 and so on). I wrote a detailed post: "Build a Web Developer PC and Enable Most Media Playback Using Ubuntu Linux", which provides a bit more of Read more
Jun
10
Using Built-in Policy Importer in Firewall Builder
June 10, 2009 | By: Vadim Kurland | 1 Comment
Posted in How To
This article continues the series of articles on Fireall Builder, a graphical firewall configuration and management tool that supports many Open Source firewall platforms as well as Cisco IOS access lists and Cisco ASA (PIX). Firewall Builder was introduced on this site earlier with article Getting Started With Firewall Builder,
More information on Firewall Builder, pre-built binary packages and source code, documentation and Firewall Builder Cookbook can be found on the project web site at www.fwbuilder.org. Watch Project Blog for announcements and articles on all aspects of using Firewall Builder.
This article demonstrates how you can import existing iptables or Cisco router configuration into Firewall Builder.
There are two ways to activate the feature: Main menu "File/Import Policy" or "Tools/Discovery Druid" and then choose option "Import configuration of a firewall or a router". Only import of iptables and Cisco IOS access lists is possible in the current version.
Importing existing iptables configuration
iptables config that the program can import is in the format of iptables-save. Script "iptables-save" is part of the standard iptables install and should be present on all Linux distribution. Usually this script is installed in /sbin/ . When you run this script, it dumps current iptables configuration to stdout. It reads iptables rules directly form the kernel rather than from some file, so what it dumps is what is really working right now. To import this into fwbuilder run the script to save configuration to a file
iptables-save > iptables_config.conf
Then launch fwbuilder, activate "Import Policy" function and use "Browse" button in the dialog to find file iptables_config.conf. You also need to choose "iptables" in the drop-down menu "Platform".
If you do not choose iptables in the "Platform", the program will try to interpret the file using different parser and will fail. The program does not make any assumptions about the file name or extension and can not predict automatically what platform is the configuration being imported is for.
Importing iptables configuration created in FireStarter
The following example demonstrates Read more
Jun
5
Take screenshots on Ubuntu with Shutter
June 5, 2009 | By: Vadim Peretokin | 8 Comments
Posted in Applications
Prelude: Why write about a screenshot tool?
It is a mistake to think that only "big" things (supported hardware, multimedia codecs, office applications and data conversion) matter when you want to successfully switch to an alternative operating system. For true happinessTM, the small things are as, or even more, important - the things that make your daily work routine run smoothly and that you'll only miss once you don't have them anymore...
Taking screenshots is one of these small things. Everybody who develops digital tools and applications for end users will sooner or later reach the point where good visual documentation is needed - no matter how intuitive the user interface might be. And everybody who ever had to compile such an illustrated manual or wiki knows just how helpful a good screenshot tool is.
Running linux, this was one of the small things I always missed... Read more
Jun
3
Ubuntu Linux Questions / Answers – Coming Soon!
June 3, 2009 | By: UbuntuLinuxHelp | Leave a Comment
Posted in Editorials
As some of you may be aware, in the past I have posted (in the page that says "Comment Rules"), that I do not answer Linux or Ubuntu Linux questions. To ask questions, we as readers and writers, must use the comments section on posts for assistance.
However, based on the number of email messages I am getting, and from reader suggestions, I realize that I must rethink this! :) Therefore, I'm looking at putting together an area where questions can be answered. Maybe not a forum, just an answer section (Q & A). I'm looking into that right now. Please bear with me until I can get something in place to support this for all of you.
Suggestions, questions, ideas? Please DO LET ME KNOW! Looking forward to your input.
(And thanking you for your patience).
