I'm completely new to ubutu!

[Markissocoollike]

Hi, I've only just downloaded this new operating system yesterday, I think it is pretty cool that it found my NVDIA 8800 GTX driver and all but I'm still finding trouble with a few things

1. I'm not used to where the Applications and settings menus are, is there a way to move it? Oh wait! never mind lol! That'll teach me to think more clearly (I dragged the menus)

2. I'm finding it hard to run Warcraft 3 I've tried wine but I can't seem to find any exe files in the folder... am I missing an extension to wine? Cos there are other files with the .ink extension strangly I've never heard of such an extension before which is strange...

3. I've noticed on a few videos theres a way to give Ubuntu fancy effects, different backgrounds stuff like that... is there a place you can suggest or should download from or use a menu option (I've noticed on a youtube video someone used the system menu then preferences and then the 3rd item down strangly I found that I got Assistive technologies instead not the same user interface tho

4. I don't like having an applications menu which looks un-windows like as I want to be able to run mostly windows programs on linux, not sure if that made sense but is there a way to make a start menu of some kind in linux so that it looks more like windows... I want it this way so that my mother can have this operating system on hers as well (my god intel pentium 4 is so old ^^) I'm hoping that this will speed that computer up and also my laptops however sacrificing the windows menu which I'm so used to is hard and also wine doesn't seem to give me the right browsing menu anyway it says browse in C: but it doesn't seem to have anything there however when I look in another folder called mark (which is the username XD) I find that all my programs and files are there which is a bit strange.

5. I've also seen some kind of transparent layer box which hovers over the desktop (and unsure whether it does that to appication windows as well) I know I'm saying windows instead of browsers, applications and so on but what do you expect? I'm a noob lol!

Please help as I bet alot of newbies are having the same problems as me

[AnLGP]

3. Right click, change desktop background, visual effects. (I believe).

If you want the real fancy stuff go all the way down to the bottom and click the last option available. I can't quite remember how to configure the compiz settings because I turn them all off but I believe there's a default menu now installed in the latest version of ubuntu.

4. There are themes at gnome-look.org that would make it look more like windows. There's also Kubuntu which has a blue look to it. You can find a screenshot here

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...3f/Kubuntu.png

or if you'd just like to install KDE under Ubuntu there's this:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InstallingKDE

--

The other questions I can't help you with.

[red_Marvin]

You seem to have answered no 1 yourself so I'll have a go at the others.

2: You run a program with wine in the terminal wine /pathto/program.exe.

So if you have your w3 cd mounted you should be able to do something like wine /media/cdrom/install.exe, you have to check the path so it is correct though.
If you install a program with wine it will end up in a hidden directory in your home folder called .wine/drive_c (press ctrl+h to view hidden files in nautilus).
So you should be able to run the game with in the console with something like wine /home/yourname/.wine/drive_c/program\ files/more_directories/w3.exe -check the path so it is correct of course.
(note that you have to put "\" before any " " in directory names.)
If you get stuck post any error messages and I'll try to help, if it works you can add a launcher to your panel (post and I'll tell you how if you want).

3: www.gnome-look.org has a lot of backgrounds and themes. For fancy effects, do as AnLGP said, if it works, you might also want to install apt:compizconfig-settings-manager which will give you access to more effects settings. You can then start it by going to the system menu->preferences->advanced desktop effects.

4: Honestly I think it will be easier to adapt to the new system if you give it a little time, instead of making it looking as much as windows as possible, however I think there's a couple of themes floating around if you search the forums and/or google. I haven't used them though so I can't tell you how good they are.

5: What do you mean, can you link to a screenshot? Is it awn (avant window navigator) you talk about?

[Markissocoollike]

3. Right click, change desktop background, visual effects. (I believe).

If you want the real fancy stuff go all the way down to the bottom and click the last option available. I can't quite remember how to configure the compiz settings because I turn them all off but I believe there's a default menu now installed in the latest version of ubuntu.

I've already tried that but its not that much different still kinda boring I'll have a look at those themes tho! Thanks... hopefully they'll be more answers...

[AnLGP]

see below

[AnLGP]

System - Preferences - Advanced Desktop Effects Settings

Hopefully someone will be able to answer your other questions.

EDIT:

It seems like the OP is talking about AWN Marvin I agree . Is this what you're talking about Mark? http://code.google.com/p/avant-window-navigator/

also,

since you're new (welcome!) you may want to read this thread:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=801404

it has lots of tips ticks and advice for the new ubuntu/linux user

[cariboo]

I'll answer question 4. first. Most windows programs will not run on Linux. Your best bet if your mother uses the computer also is to dual boot and set Windows as the default operating system. That way when she wants to use the computer all she has to do it start it up and everything that she is use to is there. There are many programs available that do the same thing as windows programs. Have a look here:

http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/...ndows_software

Question 2. Howto install WOW look here:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WorldofWarcraft

Question 3. Desktop affects howto:

http://chromakode.blogsome.com/2006/...orbidly-lazy-2

Question 5. I'm not sure what you mean. Can you possibly post a link to show us what you mean.

Jim

[Markissocoollike]

2: You run a program with wine in the terminal wine /pathto/program.exe.

So if you have your w3 cd mounted you should be able to do something like wine /media/cdrom/install.exe, you have to check the path so it is correct though.
If you install a program with wine it will end up in a hidden directory in your home folder called .wine/drive_c (press ctrl+h to view hidden files in nautilus).
So you should be able to run the game with in the console with something like wine /home/yourname/.wine/drive_c/program\ files/more_directories/w3.exe -check the path so it is correct of course.
(note that you have to put "\" before any " " in directory names.)
If you get stuck post any error messages and I'll try to help, if it works you can add a launcher to your panel (post and I'll tell you how if you want).

So is there a way to make a desktop shortcut by this method? I'm not sure whether or not you said something like that as theres alot of writing there talking about a long way round running the program through the terminal which I wouldn't look forward to do every time I want to run a windows application

3: www.gnome-look.org has a lot of backgrounds and themes. For fancy effects, do as AnLGP said, if it works, you might also want to install apt:compizconfig-settings-manager which will give you access to more effects settings. You can then start it by going to the system menu->settings->advanced desktop effects.

There's alot of themes there 0.o I don't know where to start! Which one's your favorite?

4: Honestly I think it will be easier to adapt to the new system if you give it a little time, instead of making it looking as much as windows as possible, however I think there's a couple of themes floating around if you search the forums and/or google. I haven't used them though so I can't tell you how good they are.

Would have been more helpful If you did that for me but oh well! Lets see what junk and useful information my search engine finds ^^

5: What do you mean, can you link to a screenshot? Is it awn (avant window navigator) you talk about?

Theres a youtube video which will show you I WILL NOT go through the hassel of making some damn upload which takes ages to do! I hate uploading them!

Heres a link similar to the youtube video (it aint that clear though gimmie a moment to find a clearer one...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjQ4Nza34ak

[Markissocoollike]

Question 2. Howto install WOW look here:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WorldofWarcraft

Lol! That's the boring version I hate the MMORPG it's long and boring! I'm talking about Warcraft 3!

[AnLGP]

The video you linked to shows a program called looking glass.

http://www.sun.com/software/looking_glass/