dandandrums
March 12th, 2011, 02:21 AM
Guys, i wrote a guide to Ubuntu for beginners and would appriciate it if you could give me feedback and distribute it to possible future ubuntu users. thanks.
Linux? Ubuntu? Meerkats? What is this?!
Linux is the kernel that powers Ubuntu, whilst Maverick Meerkat was the development name for 10.10. To make this more simple, it's equal to:
Linux = MS-DOS
Ubuntu = Windows
10.10 = XP, Vista, 7
Maverick Meerkat = Window's Neptune.
Okay, so... Why should I care?
Ubuntu is a free operating system (compared to Windows 7 Ultimate costing £177) which is developed by a company called Canonical, but more importantly, the community.
If you know anything about programming (given this is an idiot's guide, you probarbly don't), You can contribute to the project and fix some bugs, report bugs or use experience to help other people on Forums (google anything then add on ubuntu, you usually find something to help you).
What's so cool about Ubuntu then?
Ubuntu is everything Window's isn't. You don't have to pay for it, 99% of the software is free (and legal, may I add) and everything is much less complicated. Bootup times and shutdown times are much faster, you can do what you turnt on your laptop or computer to do and you can do it without worrying about things slowing down over time. Many of the issues in Windows do not exist at all on Ubuntu.Surely their's viruses though?
I'm not going to be a camel, stick my head in the sand and say their isn't but Ubuntu (being Linux) is naturally much more secure due to the way file permissions are done (don't worry, doesn't effect you much). What it means is, if you decide to install a program, the computer will ask for your user password then that's it, you're installing. It also means programs cannot install other things without your knowledge (unless you have downloaded a virus, trojan, malware etc).
Ubuntu comes with something called a software centre. Anything green-lighted by canonical will appear in the Software Centre (similar to Apple and the I-Tunes store). Anything here will not have viruses (as Canonical have to test EVERYTHING).
But Ubuntu/Linux/Anything that isn't Windows/etc is for the geeks!
That is entirely untrue. Many people are using Linux without even realising! In fact, here's some examples!
Android is based on Linux, Google use's Linux (how many times have you used google? You've used Linux!), Many routers (for internet) use Linux and many set top boxes (freeview boxes for example) use linux, Including specialist kit I.T companie's use.
Ubuntu can be used by anyone willing to put the tiniest bit of time into learning how things can work differently. Think about the OSX that Apple Computers use (and the iOS that the devices use). If you can spend the time to use that, why not use Ubuntu and speed up, secure and enjoy your computer more!
Ubuntu will run on computers that used to run Windows 2000 (far as i've tested) with reasonable speed and usability.
Awesome, so how do I install this thing then?
FIRST OF ALL!!!
Back up all your data onto external harddrives, DVD's, Memory sticks, whatever. Make sure any files, photos and music you want to keep is backed up.
If you want to use both Windows and Ubuntu, make sure you have defragged the computer beforehand (if you don't know how to, Google is your friend!)
Now we can begin the step by step process (i promise you, it's really simple!)
Go to http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download
Click the Big ol' download button. (free download, FYI)
Get yourself a memory stick with about 2 gigabytes free. (1 gig will probarbly suffice, i haven't checked)
Once the download has completed, save that file to the empty memory stick.
Restart your computer.
Go through the Graphical Installation Process (posh for "that screen with colours and pictures that come up to install ubuntu)
If you run the LiveCD, make sure after messing about, you click "Install" which you find on the desktop.
If you want to use Ubuntu only (recommended), just tell Ubuntu to use the whole drive (this will delete all the information contained, including Window's!)
If you want to Dual-Boot (have the choice on startup to use either Ubuntu or Windows, give ubuntu a sizable partation on the install screen.
Once completed, restart for safety, and you're done!
Awesome, I'm running Ubuntu, any tips?
Well, i'm guessing you'll be wanting to use YouTube (or flash in general), MP3's etc so you'll be wanting to download the Ubuntu Restricted Extra's (stuff that can't be downloaded with Ubuntu for legal reason's, pesky lawyers!).
To do this, you'll have to run... THE TERMINAL!
THE TERMINAL?! WHAT IS THE TERMINAL?!
Ever gone on windows, or seen old computers, and seen that black background with white writing, and everything looked old? That's MS-DOS, the thing that tell's Windows "Go" (with a shoelace untied of course). In Ubuntu, the terminal is rather the same, but with a funky purple background instead (why not?).
Awesome, history lesson, love it. COME ON, HURRY UP YOU GIT!
Alright, alright. Go to Applications > Terminal.
Once the terminal comes up, take a deep breath, chill out and then type " sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras".
It will then ask for your password (in the terminal), then it will run lots of things on the screen and do some downloading. Just leave it be for a while. Once everything seems to have stopped (and you see no numbers or anything), close the terminal (the X in the corner), then that's it! YouTube is all yours!
Awesome, thanks. I tried watching a DVD and it failed. Why?
Most DVD's are commerical, and thus use a commerical codec not included in Ubuntu Restricted Extras. To install this codec, it's time to open up the terminal again (note, this is for DVD's, i have no idea about Blue Ray and stuff).
Type in "sudo apt-get install libdvdread4", click enter, then type your password (then hit enter again). Then once that has installed, type in "sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh" (this sometimes asks for a password, sometimes not, no worries about either).
Once that is done, restart your computer and enjoy those Family Guy boxsets and Christmas DVD's as you see fit!
Thanks for reading!
Dan :)
Linux? Ubuntu? Meerkats? What is this?!
Linux is the kernel that powers Ubuntu, whilst Maverick Meerkat was the development name for 10.10. To make this more simple, it's equal to:
Linux = MS-DOS
Ubuntu = Windows
10.10 = XP, Vista, 7
Maverick Meerkat = Window's Neptune.
Okay, so... Why should I care?
Ubuntu is a free operating system (compared to Windows 7 Ultimate costing £177) which is developed by a company called Canonical, but more importantly, the community.
If you know anything about programming (given this is an idiot's guide, you probarbly don't), You can contribute to the project and fix some bugs, report bugs or use experience to help other people on Forums (google anything then add on ubuntu, you usually find something to help you).
What's so cool about Ubuntu then?
Ubuntu is everything Window's isn't. You don't have to pay for it, 99% of the software is free (and legal, may I add) and everything is much less complicated. Bootup times and shutdown times are much faster, you can do what you turnt on your laptop or computer to do and you can do it without worrying about things slowing down over time. Many of the issues in Windows do not exist at all on Ubuntu.Surely their's viruses though?
I'm not going to be a camel, stick my head in the sand and say their isn't but Ubuntu (being Linux) is naturally much more secure due to the way file permissions are done (don't worry, doesn't effect you much). What it means is, if you decide to install a program, the computer will ask for your user password then that's it, you're installing. It also means programs cannot install other things without your knowledge (unless you have downloaded a virus, trojan, malware etc).
Ubuntu comes with something called a software centre. Anything green-lighted by canonical will appear in the Software Centre (similar to Apple and the I-Tunes store). Anything here will not have viruses (as Canonical have to test EVERYTHING).
But Ubuntu/Linux/Anything that isn't Windows/etc is for the geeks!
That is entirely untrue. Many people are using Linux without even realising! In fact, here's some examples!
Android is based on Linux, Google use's Linux (how many times have you used google? You've used Linux!), Many routers (for internet) use Linux and many set top boxes (freeview boxes for example) use linux, Including specialist kit I.T companie's use.
Ubuntu can be used by anyone willing to put the tiniest bit of time into learning how things can work differently. Think about the OSX that Apple Computers use (and the iOS that the devices use). If you can spend the time to use that, why not use Ubuntu and speed up, secure and enjoy your computer more!
Ubuntu will run on computers that used to run Windows 2000 (far as i've tested) with reasonable speed and usability.
Awesome, so how do I install this thing then?
FIRST OF ALL!!!
Back up all your data onto external harddrives, DVD's, Memory sticks, whatever. Make sure any files, photos and music you want to keep is backed up.
If you want to use both Windows and Ubuntu, make sure you have defragged the computer beforehand (if you don't know how to, Google is your friend!)
Now we can begin the step by step process (i promise you, it's really simple!)
Go to http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download
Click the Big ol' download button. (free download, FYI)
Get yourself a memory stick with about 2 gigabytes free. (1 gig will probarbly suffice, i haven't checked)
Once the download has completed, save that file to the empty memory stick.
Restart your computer.
Go through the Graphical Installation Process (posh for "that screen with colours and pictures that come up to install ubuntu)
If you run the LiveCD, make sure after messing about, you click "Install" which you find on the desktop.
If you want to use Ubuntu only (recommended), just tell Ubuntu to use the whole drive (this will delete all the information contained, including Window's!)
If you want to Dual-Boot (have the choice on startup to use either Ubuntu or Windows, give ubuntu a sizable partation on the install screen.
Once completed, restart for safety, and you're done!
Awesome, I'm running Ubuntu, any tips?
Well, i'm guessing you'll be wanting to use YouTube (or flash in general), MP3's etc so you'll be wanting to download the Ubuntu Restricted Extra's (stuff that can't be downloaded with Ubuntu for legal reason's, pesky lawyers!).
To do this, you'll have to run... THE TERMINAL!
THE TERMINAL?! WHAT IS THE TERMINAL?!
Ever gone on windows, or seen old computers, and seen that black background with white writing, and everything looked old? That's MS-DOS, the thing that tell's Windows "Go" (with a shoelace untied of course). In Ubuntu, the terminal is rather the same, but with a funky purple background instead (why not?).
Awesome, history lesson, love it. COME ON, HURRY UP YOU GIT!
Alright, alright. Go to Applications > Terminal.
Once the terminal comes up, take a deep breath, chill out and then type " sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras".
It will then ask for your password (in the terminal), then it will run lots of things on the screen and do some downloading. Just leave it be for a while. Once everything seems to have stopped (and you see no numbers or anything), close the terminal (the X in the corner), then that's it! YouTube is all yours!
Awesome, thanks. I tried watching a DVD and it failed. Why?
Most DVD's are commerical, and thus use a commerical codec not included in Ubuntu Restricted Extras. To install this codec, it's time to open up the terminal again (note, this is for DVD's, i have no idea about Blue Ray and stuff).
Type in "sudo apt-get install libdvdread4", click enter, then type your password (then hit enter again). Then once that has installed, type in "sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh" (this sometimes asks for a password, sometimes not, no worries about either).
Once that is done, restart your computer and enjoy those Family Guy boxsets and Christmas DVD's as you see fit!
Thanks for reading!
Dan :)