Recommended apps to install

[sparklyballs]

inside of a week still since my ubuntu installation, and was wondering what applications people would consider as essential, whether they're utilities or whatever.

i'm not much of a command line type (done a small amount as a legacy of my mac background), i'd call myself an enthustiac dabbler, are there any helper type apps for this area of linux ?

or is it book is best, if so can anyone recommend a good (relatively inexpensive) book for a beginner.

[sparklyballs]

oh great, really shouldn't post just afer waking up, just seen the sticky about command line helping.


i'll expand on the original question somewhat then, i really would like to get to grips with compiling as it looks like i am going to need a few driver modules that aren't off the shelf so to speak.

[Kopkins]

For sure there's some software you'll want just to have.

ubuntu-restricted-extras - this is for mp3's and flash and stuff like that.
openjdk-7-jre and icedtea-7-plugin - if you want java support.

Then some others that you might like.

rhythmbox - my favorite music player
vlc - my favorite video player
geany - favorite code editor
asunder - rip cd's
bleachbit - for cleaning unneeded files
gufw - a firewall if you want it
deluge - my favorite bittorrent client
fortune-mod - display fortunes via command line

You can look at these in the software center and install them or you can install them on the command line. To install packages you use `apt-get' and the arguement `install'. Because it need root privelidges, you use sudo, which is S uper U serDO . The super user is the root user, but you can't use that account like your own, it's only there for `administration'.

So the command all together would be

sudo apt-get install

But you need to tell it which packages too so it really is

sudo apt-get install package-name package2 ... packageN
#and to remove
sudo apt-get remove package-name

you can update and upgrade packages too using this method. Using

sudo apt-get update
#and
sudo apt-get upgrade

To view the manual page for a command use the man command.

man <command_you_want_to_know_about>

I recommend at least skimming the apt-get man page.

Best of luck with Ubuntu/Linux. Welcome to Ubuntu. If you want more information on using the Ubuntu desktop, go to the dash and type help and press enter. If you don't know what the dash is, press the windows key, or command key if you're on a mac.

And just for fun, the Advanced Bash Scripting Guide. Its pretty useful, at least after you've learned a lot of it.

Kopkins

[sparklyballs]

thank you for your reply kopkins, I shall look at that link you sent a little later.

[mörgæs]

Changed the thread title to a more informative one.

[mastablasta]

i'll expand on the original question somewhat then, i really would like to get to grips with compiling as it looks like i am going to need a few driver modules that aren't off the shelf so to speak.

you will need build essentials for compiling. and instructions are usually provided in the packaged driver module (such as how to do it, prerequisites...).

[deadflowr]

inside of a week still since my ubuntu installation, and was wondering what applications people would consider as essential, whether they're utilities or whatever.

i'm not much of a command line type (done a small amount as a legacy of my mac background), i'd call myself an enthustiac dabbler, are there any helper type apps for this area of linux ?

or is it book is best, if so can anyone recommend a good (relatively inexpensive) book for a beginner.

synaptic package manager.

I don't think there is such a thing as must have, but if you want to try out a bunch of different apps, installing through synaptic is far easier and quicker than the software center.

[gordintoronto]

If you have a webcam, Cheese
From the Google site, Chrome
GIMP
Audacious
ubuntu-manual

As previously (but inaccurately) suggested, build-essential

What makes you think you might need driver modules?

[nwalkey]

If you want to learn about compiling then you could check out linux from scratch. It will teach you how to compile a linux distro from source.