There were a few tweaks that I made that just didn’t belong anywhere else. So, this is just a collections of those tweaks.
Month: May 2012
Ubuntu 12.04: Restoring Files
One of the biggest and most important steps to a new installation is to restore files. I found that grsync is a great tool that will help. Of course, this also requires a good backup.
This post will go through what I did to restore files from my backup.
Ubuntu 12.04: Skype
Skype is a communication essential for my system because I have co-workers who use it. There are plenty of alternatives to Skype, but none of them interact with other Skypers.
Although there are no desktop alternatives, there is one online tool that you can use — http://imo.im. It is a great alternative, but it is not integrated with your desktop.
Currently, Skype works for the most part. I have trouble with it crashing periodically. The crashes seem to coincide with changing networks. For example, if I connect and disconnect from a VPN, I find I am offline even though the icon is green. I am not sure if I just notice it then or if the connection change triggers it. The worst part is that I can’t tell that it has crashed until I try to Skype someone and it says it can’t send the message.
So, here’s what I went through to install Skype…
Ubuntu 12.04: Misc Tools
This is a continuation of my Ubuntu 12.04 installation notes. I had a few programs that I use that just didn’t belong in any of the other posts. So, they made it to this post.
This includes:
- Meld
- gVim
- 7zip
- Version Control
Ubuntu 12.04: Networking Setup
For the most part, networking just works on the installation. The network manager works nicely and is your key to managing network connections. My laptop has handled switching between wireless networks fairly nicely as well as connecting to a USB Network device (my docking station).
This post will look at
- Adding VPN connections
- Remmina
Ubuntu 12.04: Sound
Sound has been a problem for me in the past. I found that the sound seems to work slightly better on Fedora than on Ubuntu. Ubuntu 12.04 has worked better for me, but I think things are still a little more flakey than I would like. Some of my problems might come from a USB docking station that has a sound plugin and some of the problems definitely come from Skype.
Anyhow, these are the tools that I am currently using:
- Audacity
- Sound Settings — switching between devices
- MuseScore
Ubuntu 12.04: Graphics Programs
I typically have various needs for working with graphics and video. These are the tools that I have found helpful for various situations.
Overview:
- Gimp
- Inkscape
- Dia
- Ubuntu Restricted Extras (Codecs)
- MPlayer
- KdenLive
- OpenShot
- Cheese
Ubuntu 12:04: 32-bit Java Browser Environment
I used to call this installation my WebEx environment. WebEx has a requirement for a 32-bit Java installation. But, I found a few more needs for a 32-bit Java/browser such as a Juniper VPN.
Basically, I just did a variation on my older post about WebEx.
Here’s how I set it up:
Checking Files with md5sum or sha1sum
When you download files or copy them between locations, there is always a chance that something won’t copy correctly. The larger the file, the larger the chance of something getting messed up. Creating a check sum on the file is a great way to check to make sure that everything adds up before and after the copy.
This post will explore the two tools, and give you a quick little intro on how to use them.
Ubuntu 12.04: Installing Oracle SQL Developer
SQL Developer is another tool that I have found very helpful. I have been toying with my own SQL Access tool, but SQL Developer is much more full featured.
Update: I have a new post with notes for installing SQL Developer 4.0 on Ubuntu 13:10 — Fixing SQL Developer 4.0.
Here’s how I installed it: