Just a few questions from Safeguy

[safeguy]

Ok...guys admittedly..I'm a Windows guy. The only Linux distro I've tried prev. was Ubuntu but halfway through I just abandoned the idea....but now, the 'Linux mood' is back and I have just 'installed' Xubuntu on my laptop using Wubi...and I must say I like it better than Ubuntu itself. I've tried Kubuntu a few days ago...it was nice and 'shiny' but it's slightly slower and more resource hungry than the other two...

Now, mind anyone here who have used Ubuntu (better still Xubuntu) tell me which sites are the best to go for help, etc. And like you all know there's Gizmo Freeware for Windows users...is there a similar kind of blog/site for Ubuntu/Xubuntu...

Next, I need your opinion as to which are the best 'basic' apps for Ubuntu/Xubuntu...I mean media players all that. I know there are 'default' ones that come along in the setup but I just want to know what's popular among you guys...as for Office, Abiword is fine with me...I don't need OpenOffice.

And finally, what are the best alternative browsers to Firefox on Linux...I've tried Konqueror and found it buggy as hell...any better ones?

[LunarWolf]

Use Chrome

Vlc media player.

[safeguy]

@Lunar

I know those programs...in fact, I'm using VLC on Vista...I'm talking about those special apps that are only available on the Linux platform.

[hellnoire]

Best place for Linux help, if not here, is the official forums. Seriously... they have never failed me. Googleing your problem also will help, because chances are good, you're not the only one who ran into the problem.

Personally, I use OpenOffice.org, but Abiword is much better if you do just text editing. To that extent, though, that's where I stop using the defaults. I use VLC media player for my videos and DVDs, and use Audacious2 for my audio player, though was using XMMS for the longest time too. Audacious2 is in the repos, XMMS you have to build from source or from the repos they provide. I use Tilda for my terminal client (it's a drop down client, nice for me since I do a lot of terminal work), and Emesene for my MSN client. Since I don't use AOL or any other IMing system, it's the best for just MSN... beats out aMSN if you ask me. And then there comes to the burning of disks... I use KDE's K3B which is the most like Nero in looks, but not weight. When I'm in a mood for speed though... ELINKS is the best browser for that, but it's run via terminal, text only.

As for an alternative to Firefox... Opera, Chromium, ELINKS, Amaya, Epiphany... and if you really want to be a Linux arse, you could use Internet Explorer!

Keep in mind, I'm listing off the top of my head. If you need to see any of them, just load up Synaptic or the Ubuntu Software Center. Either will show you whatever you have to play with.

Oh, and by the way... Ubuntu/Xubuntu share the same architecture, meaning what runs on one, will run on the other. So a general advice if you want it... UbuntuGeek . I had a few others back in the day, but not anymore. Dunno why.

[safeguy]

@hellnoire

Thanks...looks like a lot of work to do

[wond]

First of all - i am glad that you are choosing Linux again.

Let me be more specific with my answers. The best forum to go to (where the community is quite active & you get quick responses) is ubuntuforums.org.

If you are looking for a website where you will get a list of freeware/shareware etc.; there is none that will satiate your needs fully. You can try softpedia or getdeb if you want ; but you will need to know what exactly you are looking for. Ubuntu also has something called 'ubuntu software center' which has a better UI than the Synaptic package manager. Try it out in Xubuntu.

A good place to start looking at what are the must have apps is the official place: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Li...SourcePrograms. It gives a nice comparison of linux apps versus some windows based apps.

There are many alternate browsers but i have found Firefox & Opera to be the best for linux.

Listing down my must have apps for Ubuntu:
> Communication: Firefox, Thunderbird, Skype, aMSN, Pidgin for Sametime, TweetDeck for twitter, facebook, linkedin (have to download separately)
> Productivity: Abiword, Adobe Reader, Open Office Suite, PDFEdit, gedit, Scribus, TomBoy, Openproj (have to download separately for doing project mgmt stuff)
> Audio/Video editors: Avidemux, Sinthgunt
> Audio/Video players: Totem, VLC, Songbird, Rhythmbox (for ipod), gtkpod (for ipod, but optional), Xine, Smplayer, mplayer with firefox plugins, Helixplayer
> Security: ufw (firewall UI), BitDefender (download separately), ddclient with OpenDNS.com for parental control/webfiltering/faster DNS servers
> Torrent: Transmission
> Others: Brasero (CD/DVD burning), Gimp for photoediting
And then you can have firefox plugins of your choice. I have WOT, Personas, ForecastFox, Delicious plugins.

Some more tips:

> You can check this link out for installing a system to meet all your regular needs.

> Make sure that you have added Medibuntu per instructions here to your repositories and then follow further instructions on this site.

> Also make sure that you are choosing to install 'ubuntu restricted extras' using synaptic. That should take care of your flash player, quicktime, etc needs. For more on restricted extras read this.

> You can even make your grub (multiboot selection menu) more jazzy; that is if you are multibooting. For the how-to refer this link.

Please note that i use GNOME becuase of it's lightweight, and range of softwares available. For KDE most/all of my advice above should also work.

All the best!

[checkerspa]

AlternativeTo is a new approach to finding good software. Tell us what application you want to replace and we give you great alternatives, based on user recommendations.

http://alternativeto.net/desktop/?profile=linux

[hellnoire]

GNOME's not the lightest by a long shot, wond, so I find it funny you say you stick with it because it's so light. In reality, it's the second heaviest... XFCE, Blackbox, and even Enlightenment with all it's flash is lighter.

Though, to be honest.. I use LXDE. Best if you'd like something user friendly and lightweight at the same time.

To checkerspa, it's an okay site, but some of it's recommendations are dated too, I've found. Don't know if they've updated or not, but last I checked, it was badly dated.

[wond]

I don't want to take this to a KDE vs. GNOME discussion in any way , because it's a moot question. And if you read my post i didn't say that i am sticking with GNOME only for it's weight. I have put my opinion forth based on my experence with both.

[hellnoire]

I'm not taking you on verses KDE. I'm admitting KDE is heavy.

However, Gnome isn't light either.

Xfce. Openbox/Blackbox. LXDE.

All three of those that I just named there... are much lighter then Gnome.