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Using Linux
If you’ve tried other distributions in the past, you’ve probably spent more time installing Linux than actually using it. Here’s what you need to know to get started on a permanent switch to the penguin.
The good news about Linux is that there’s an unbelievable amount of information available on the Internet to help you learn to use the open-source operating system. The bad news is that it can be crushingly difficult to find said information. There are a multitude of reasons for the search problems, but most of the time the problem is that you’re not searching for the right thing. A normal person wouldn’t know that you need to edit the fstab to mount new drives or edit xorg.conf to adjust your resolution. (Fortunately, most Gutsy Gibbon users won’t have to do these things anymore, but some might.) Here’s the info you’ll need to get started.
Enable Desktop Effects
Forget Windows Aero. Linux has pioneered some of the most amazing special effects you’re bound to see on any operating system. Wobbly that wobble when you move them, workspaces that turn into a three-dimensional cube that you can rotate at will, painting fire on your screen (for whatever that’s worth), and more are possible in Linux—as long as you’ve got a supported graphics card.
Until Gutsy Gibbon came along, getting these effects on your Linux PC was usually an arduous process. But now you can simply turn them on in the Appearance menu by clicking System > Preferences > Appearance and choosing the Visual Effects tab. Then you can select the level of effects you like. Try ‘em all.
Choosing Extra will give you window wobble and transparency, but you'll have to go a little further if you want the full complement of Desktop Effects. To get them all, you'll need to install a couple of things from the Synaptic Package Manager. So click System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager, and search for “emerald.” Install it, and then search for “compizconfig-settings-manager.” Install this one, too.
Now you'll have Emerald Theme Manager and Advanced Desktop Effects Settings listed in your Accounts > Preferences menu. Use Emerald to install a variety of desktop themes for Compiz. (Be sure to follow the instructions at the bottom of the Repositories panel to get the Non-GPL themes. There are no GPL themes available.) The Advanced Desktop Effects Settings control panel is your one-stop shop for configuring all of the features in Compiz, such as the desktop cube, painting fire on the screen, and other useless but entertaining bits of visual flair.
Managing Your Photos
By default, Ubuntu installs the F-Spot photo manager, which is fine if you only have a few images. But Google's Picasa is available for Linux users now, so you can share and edit your photos with ease.
The best photo manager for Linux is the beta version of Google’s Picasa. Download it here, and then install it using the instructions provided. From that point on, Picasa works just the same as it does in Windows—it’s the same application!
Managing Your Music
Rhythmbox is Ubuntu’s default music jukebox. It includes much of the same functionality as iTunes or Windows Media Player. It will even mount and manage music on most MP3 players—including the iPod. If you’re familiar with any jukebox-style software, you won’t have any problems playing music once you’ve finished the initial import. While there are other, more advanced MP3 playback utilities available—we especially like the advanced library management features that Amarok delivers—Rhythmbox is the easiest to use and most reliable.
As part of the install process, Ubuntu should have mounted your NTFS partitions. You’ll find them in the Places menu, listed by the partition’s label in Windows. To import your music into Rhythmbox, just find it in your Windows partition. Click Music > Import Folder > and then browse to Documents and Settings/<your username>/My Documents/My Music. After the import is complete, you’ll be able to search and play at will.
If you plan to rip music in Linux, you’ll want to make sure the MP3 codecs are installed. If you installed the restricted-extras package earlier (see Install Restricted Software, page 48), you should be good to go. To rip your CDs, you’ll use the Sound Juicer app. If you want to rip in MP3 instead of Ogg, you need to click Edit > Preferences > Library > and change Preferred Format to “CD Quality, (MP3 audio).” Then drop an audio CD into your optical drive and click the Extract button in Sound Juicer. If you set Sound Juicer’s preferences to save your music to the same folder that Rhythmbox is using for the library, Rhythmbox will automatically see new music that appears when you rip it.
Comments are closed on this article
DVD
February 04, 2011 at 7:51am
Great article! I've been using ubuntu Linux for years and its better than windows. It has advance and cool features especially when making movies for CDs and DVDs.
www.easydvdburning.com
duhclown
February 28, 2009 at 1:48pm
The first time I tried Linux it was Debian 1.3.1 I think. It was on a CD that came with the Nov. 97 Boot Magazine. It's been downhill ever since and now all my computers at work and home run some distro of Linux. It's good to see that this magazine has gone from Booting to being the Max and that Linux has gone from three days of trying to get an ISA SB16 to finally work to just clicks away from a fully working installed OS. Apps and all.
You both have matured well. Cool.
gothliciouz
December 05, 2008 at 6:23pm
muximum pc you guys really need to update this article, days has gone fast and ubuntu 8.10 is the current version...that also means tha we are facing diferent configuration problems :)
limpinlou
June 24, 2008 at 9:04am
The bulk of my problems with any form of Linux I've installed so far is Flash. Until the web, which is so Flash oriented, runs properly on Linux, all distros of Linux will remain on the smallest partitions of my smallest hard drive & can never be my primary operating system.
"When a decision is made, confusion ends"
HaloXXI
July 14, 2008 at 7:42am
I love Unbuntu. Just like to know how you make it portable off a USB drive.
AzMonguse
June 07, 2008 at 7:32pm
Just in case any of you are still looking creative does have beta drivers for the X-Fi sounds cards, which is good as that's what I use.
As far as dumping Vista for Ubuntu or any other version, well from what I have read and seen if you are using your system for 'office' use over all it should work well, but if you play games and use the system for basically everything else or as a non-office system - Myself I'll stick with Vista until I can play my games and run my other apps using it. While it is in many ways a better O/S it still has a long way to go for everyday use - IMHO
pgeorge
April 24, 2008 at 3:27pm
Switching from Windows to Linux may be easy for a programmer maybe, but from the normal user point of view this will be madness. Maybe he can learn how to use applications that look and feel more and more like their Window rivals, but what a man can do when there is a problem? In Windows we'll always have restart :)
fultz
February 12, 2008 at 11:03am
Hey all. I have switched over to linux on my home box. As well, I go to a technical institute where I've already obtained my A+ cert and working towards my net+... but anyways lol we are slowly introducing ubuntu as the secondary OS. If you're skeptical as I was, you shouldn't be! Ubuntu linux is the easiest flavor of linux to learn and use! Please give it a try! And for those of you who can't live without your call of duty 4 or orange box, they have WINE which emulates a Windows environment.
Good Luck Ubuntu!
Fultz
Somercy
January 29, 2008 at 1:02pm
Once Ubuntu is successfully installed (with correct drivers etc), does it show you all available wireless networks, either through the OS or an application?
I'm considering my laptop as an Ubuntu canidate.
I currently use it as a wireless atlas while I travel.Thanks in advance.
Somercy Hamilton
Nick 01
November 19, 2007 at 1:59am
Nick00
Has anyone ever heard of or tried pcbsd? Like to hear more about it.
jasonbrisbane
January 14, 2008 at 4:25pm
Hi,
Video Editing is not one of the areas that Linux has seen strong development - at least not for free! I've seen a few programs out there, but they cost a bit(!) so I wont be getting them.
What are they like compared to Windows programs? I dont know as I 've never used Windows Editing Suites either (except WMM, which doesn't count).Linux develops because users want to create or develop a certain app or game for it. Someone creates a base version. others add a function, some add two or three, others modify those functions with cool graphics abilities, etc and after a couple of years you have a fantastic program. Think it takes 3-6 months to develop WoW??? Think again. Those gaming companies burn through developers and game writers faster than you can say where did my life go. (and over 6-8 years life cycles for games).
Linux , I believe, has a shorter development life (I dont have anything to base that one except casual observation though). It can produce a lot more applications as the same code base is used and simultaneously developed for multiple programs.I found Tremulous, Alien Arena, Neziuz and Open Arena all worked as is on my Linux laptop (that isnt powerful enough for Windows). Eve also works (sort of), but crashes in 30 seconds of the game. But I'm not surprised when I'm running under half Min spec on a non-supported Graphics card! The fact it runs at all is a tribute to Linux Developers everywhere and the support of the Linux community. If you want something, then others would have too and you will have a very good chance of finding it with a simple Google search.
In short Linux does work, it is ready for 90% of all desktops everywhere and is smaller, faster and a lot better than Windows. Ubuntu makes it easy and makes it happen, easier! (IMHO)
Regards,
Jason Brisbane
xveganx
January 18, 2008 at 10:28am
Ubuntu has made some really great strides in the linux desktop arena. However, there is one seriously overlooked distro that does some things better than ubuntu, and is just as user friendly if not more in some cases.
That is Sabayon Linux.
I suggest anyone curious check it out...
Sabayonlinux.org
Shalbatana
November 16, 2007 at 12:42pm
That's not fair! I edit videos for a living....
and none of it is good enough to be on youtube!!! (haha)seriously though, I think many edit system providers are waiting to jump at the chance to base their system on Linux, but are waiting till it's friendliness is fully mature. Install friendly and better graphics drivers should be the key to that. Only problem is...would their editing apps have to be open source?
---
Hey Will, since it's a CC publication, would you be opposed to someone making available a printworthy word doc version they put together? It would include proper credit to the original authors, to this website, and link to the cc terms page of course. If you prefer not...than that person will just keep it for themselves.
Talcum X
November 13, 2007 at 8:17am
This is funny for all those windows haters.
http://tinyurl.com/yo7bnn**********
Every morning is the dawn of a new error.
DiRTDOG
November 13, 2007 at 9:06am
I would love to switch to linux but unless you use only word processing surf the web it is pretty useless. If I could use Premier and after effects on it with out any issue I switch in a second. My next comp will be a mac for sure.
DigitalVampire
November 15, 2007 at 5:51pm
Ask yourself about the type of software vendors that target the Linux community. Three specific programs come to mind. AutoCAD, Maple, and MATLAB. Now, many programs like this are available for Windows or Mac, but, of the few commercially supported programs available for Linux, most are of this nature. This is because they know the kind of people that use Linux (i.e. Engineers, Scientists, etc.). If your main concern when choosing an operating system is "video editing apps", then you should be fine with Windows or Mac. Now, run along and edit your little video and post it up on youtube.
Shalbatana
November 13, 2007 at 1:28pm
CC license = good!!! Thank you kindly.
No easily printable version = bad! Where's that PDF link????
regardless, I was planning on trying Linux in the next few weeks (after finishing my slipstream PC re-install on my in-laws pc). Good timing, Thanks for this!
=====
Re: DiRTDOG..., why would you switch to mac just to use premiere and AFX? The PC versions are always first to be updated and released, and often include functionality the mac versions don't have or don't get until later. That's reason right there to stay pc based.
====
There's no time like the future.
DiRTDOG
November 13, 2007 at 3:44pm
=====
Re: DiRTDOG..., why would you switch to mac just to use premiere and AFX? The PC versions are always first to be updated and released, and often include functionality the mac versions don't have or don't get until later. That's reason right there to stay pc based.
====
Good point bro, Im just tired of the ustability and bloat of M$ products. I have a very decent system to run video editing apps and they still run slow compared to when I use them on a mac. I have 2gb of ram and the system alone takes up 1/4 of that just to run. It will be a few years before I need a new comp so time will tell on whether or not I go the mac side. The OSX is extremely stable.
willsmith
November 13, 2007 at 2:58pm
We actually don't make PDF or single-page versions of web articles right now. That's something I'd like to add to the next revision of the site though. Stay tuned.
benjamminzIS
November 14, 2007 at 10:07pm
In Reply To WillSmith:
This will be nice when it happens!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you went to school?
What do you think?
Maybe, It would take a lot of work... and someone on the inside...
I could call in a few favors... but only if you're REALLY serious...
the blue one!
dave23d
November 12, 2007 at 7:19pm
Yep I remember getting (and still have) Maximum Linux mags. Could it be that Maximum Linux can now be part of Maximum PC?
Love the Linux hardware/driver and gamming reviews as well. ;-)
Love Linux and 3D Linux Games :)
spam.free
June 27, 2008 at 11:22am
I too have a few MaximumLinux mags around (I think 1,2,4,5 just fyi), by far my favorite Linux mags even now. Alas, I'm a procrastinator-extraordinaire and never got around to subscribing to MaximumLinux or switching to Linux (lol but I've installed it dozens of times over the intervening years).
I'd love to see in-depth Linux coverage come to MaximumPC! (especially since I have a subscription to it and won't have to drive 40 miles like I did to find a newstand with MaximumLinux.)
Kylis
March 10, 2008 at 10:10pm
Linux can be part of Maximum PC, I like this idea, Maximum PC can both have windows & linux?, just as parallels workstation, with the ability to use in multiple operating systems on a single Maximum PC, that will be cool.
