New User

[Mike Zahorik]

I'm using Ubuntu 9.10 and have been attempting to us gnome-device-manager. Can't find it, Package Manager will not set it up and there is a problem when I attempt to download it from one of the mirrors. What am I doing wrong?
Mike

[Cheesemill]

You are using an outdated version of Ubuntu. 9.10 reached end-of-life in April last year (2011), meaning it no longer receives any support, bug-fixes or software updates (and hasn't done for nearly 2 years). One of the effects of this is that the repositories are moved off-line, meaning that you can no longer use the package manager or any of the mirrors to download software.

I would highly recommend installing a version of Ubuntu that is still being supported, for example 12.04 has support until 2017.

[Mike Zahorik]

Well....... I had 12.10 on my machine for a while, but I went to the library and got a book on Ubuntu. The book is very interesting but is written for Ubuntu 9 and most everything that the book suggests didn't work on 12.1. Besides I very much dislike the graphical interface and much more prefer the menu interface that 9.10 has. it is rather difficult to jump into some new with a reference to use to help out.

I tried very hard to find a menu user interface much like that of 9.1 for 12.10, but was not seccessful in getting anything to work.

Mike

[Cheesemill]

You can make 12.04 look almost identical to the old versions by using the Gnome classic session rather than the default Unity session.
Or you could stick with Unity and read reference guides to that instead:
https://help.ubuntu.com/12.04/ubuntu-help/index.html

There is also the option to use Xubuntu instead which has a similar menus and panels set up.

In fact there are several different options available to you, the only one I wouldn't recommend is using an outdated version of Ubuntu as your system will be using software that has bugs and security problems that will never get fixed.

[Mike Zahorik]

Thanks for replying. I did have a XUbuntu set up for a while, but balled it up somehow and never really got it working. I also tried to get the gnome menus on 12.10, but also had trouble getting that going also. I see that you are recommending 12.04. Should I use that instead of 12.10. I was secussful in making a 12.10 64 bit DVD to load it.

Mike

[Cheesemill]

I would recommend 12.04 for a new user as it is more stable and supported for longer.

If you go for 12.10 you will have to upgrade your OS in just over a years time whereas 12.04 is supported until 2017.

[Mike Zahorik]

OK..... I can do that. Then can you suggest
1. How to install the gnome menu's --- would that be through the package manager?
2. Do you know of a physical paper reference that I can read to help out and bother you guys a lot. I'm an old man attempting to fill my retirement time by learning something new. Besides I'm tired of contributing to the MicroSoft empire.
3. I've been reading about things like Device manager and other system tools. Where can I find out more about this?

Thanks I appreciate your help

Mike

[superDave972]

If you are using Ubuntu 12.04, you can easily install the Gnome DE by using the Ubuntu Software Center.

[Mike Zahorik]

I'm downloading it now, probably take a few more minutes. My hardware is old and slow, much like me. First thing I'll do is attempt to get gnome de to work. Is that it's complete name?

Mike

[superDave972]

DE was just my abbreviation for Desktop Environment and it is not part of the "Gnome" name.

When I installed Gnome through the Software Center, I just searched for 'gnome' and found it that way.

If you prefer, you can also just type the following command into a terminal. It may be faster to install the Gnome DE that way.

sudo apt-get install gnome-session-fallback